Results
The pilot was received positively overall. Responses from 907 respondents and discussions with 40 stakeholders showed that the objective and communication were clear. Colleagues felt welcome at Berchmanianum and the Maria Montessori building and indicated that the support and facilities were sufficient to enable them to work effectively during this period.
In addition, the summer closure also yielded concrete results:
- Savings of almost €170,000 on cleaning, reception, energy and indirect costs.
- A CO₂ reduction comparable to 370 return flights between Amsterdam and Barcelona.
- Greater insight and understanding among colleagues about the purpose of the summer closure and its contribution to sustainable and efficient building use.
- New encounters between colleagues from different teams.
Insights
The summer closure works well, provided that opening hours, facilities and communication are well aligned with usage.
There were also lessons learned:
- The opening hours of Berchmanianum could be better tailored to demand.
- Making the best possible use of the building that is open: the average occupancy rate during the summer closure was still relatively low, at 19% in Berchmanianum and 11% in the Maria Montessori building.
- Access to well-equipped workplaces and the completeness of workplace facilities must be guaranteed.
- Cleaning, coffee facilities and catering must be in line with the number of people present.
- The findability of colleagues and available workspaces is important for pleasant and efficient collaboration.
Future pilots
The summer closure showed that smarter use of buildings not only saves costs and CO₂, but also leads to new collaboration and awareness. The insights gained form a valuable basis for future pilots, such as evening and weekend closures, a summer closure in 2026, and the organisation of the closure during the upcoming Christmas holidays.
