The Housing and Facilities pillar (H&F) covers a wide range of activities and services. Within housing, these are activities related to the use of buildings, grounds, installations and maintenance. Facilities cover services such as cleaning, security, reception, landscaping, mail, reprographics, interior design, furniture and audiovisual services.
Most of the people who work in the H&F pillar are employed by Campus & Facilities (C&F). In addition, there are also employees within faculties who perform a function in the H&F pillar.
Savings target and phasing
The H&F pillar has a cost-saving target of 6 million euros. These savings will have to be achieved gradually within H&F by 2029. Between April and early June 2025, research was conducted into how and where savings could be made. The various savings opportunities that emerged from the study were critically assessed in terms of feasibility and potential impact. The results of the study have been compiled in a report on savings opportunities for the H&F column. This report was adopted by the 'Steering committee for business operations optimization' on 1 July.
This autumn, various working groups will be working on translating 25 savings initiatives into concrete proposals. The H&F core team will coordinate the implementation. A number of measures have already been initiated. Other cost-saving measures require further investigation, and concrete proposals are being developed. A decision is expected in January 2026.
Savings opportunities
Savings within the H&F pillar can be achieved by focusing on the following, among other things:
- Smarter and more efficient use of space: by reducing the number of meeting, teaching and consultation rooms, the remaining spaces can be used more efficiently.
- Uniform design of working environments.
- Aligning building opening hours with actual use (saving on energy, maintenance, cooling/heating, cleaning and reception).
- Maintenance and contracts: some work can be carried out later or more simply, with a less luxurious finish.
- More automation and self-service for users (reservations, requests, notifications).
- Bundling logistics and facility processes.
Some cost-saving measures are already being implemented.
- From 1 September 2025, cleaning services will be gradually adjusted. The cleaning of offices, lecture halls, meeting rooms and circulation areas will be tailored to usage rather than a strict schedule. Sanitary facilities and laboratories will continue to follow the usual schedule.
- The pilot project “Opening hours in line with use” is also showing savings in practice. At the end of 2024, last summer and during the Christmas holidays in 2025, several campus buildings were temporarily closed. Because the lighting and climate control in a closed building are kept to a minimum and services such as cleaning and reception are not required, there is an immediate saving on energy and facility costs.
Planning
Current status
In the autumn of 2025, various working groups have translated the various savings initiatives into concrete proposals. The H&F core team is coordinating the implementation of these proposals and a number of measures have already been launched. Other savings measures require further research and concrete proposals are being developed. Decision-making is expected to follow in February 2026.
