Butlr Survey Unveils Real Costs of Missing Spatial Occupancy Data

Lack of data drives up costs across facilities management, building maintenance, and employee productivity

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We talk to a lot of commercial real estate, building and facilities pros, and workplace leaders and the one thing that keeps coming up is how critical it is to have granular data on how the office is used, maintained, and managed. This insight is key to making decisions that impact real estate portfolios, the budgets of property managers and tenants, and the day-to-day experiences of the workforce.

This led us to commission a survey that was conducted by Wakefield Research. They identified 400 CRE, workplace, building management, and facilities decision makers across the U.S. Each had a minimum of 10,000 square feet of office space under their purview. The data that came back confirmed a lot of what we had been hearing anecdotally and unveiled how a lack of spatial occupancy data impacts employee well-being, building sustainability, commercial construction, and the future of the office.

The findings are published in our new report, "Beyond Occupancy: The State of Office Space 2026." Here is what stood out to us.

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Multi-million-dollar decisions are based on gut instinct, not data

Only 19% of the decision makers we surveyed use data to guide their space planning decisions. That means 4 out of 5 are making some of the most expensive decisions in their organizations based on gut feel, anecdotal feedback, or nothing at all.

Another 62% report they don’t have a reliable way to understand how their office is being used without physically observing employees or sending out a survey. That observation often requires cameras, limiting the authenticity of the data that occurs when employees know they are being watched. Further, it limits the ability to get a full understanding of how humans act and interact in a space without compromising privacy.

This is not due to a lack of trying. Nearly everyone we surveyed is using some form of proptech or low-tech way of understanding how the office is used for individual and collaborative work. These methods include desk reservation systems, employee surveys, and sensors.

Still, 79% say data challenges get in the way of making meaningful layout decisions. Data silos and an incomplete picture of spatial occupancy create more work reconciling various sources of information and leads to best guesses when the data is missing.

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The financial ripple effect on commercial construction

Without a clear picture of how the office is being used, every major decision carries more risk than it should. Over the past five years, that uncertainty has stalled or derailed renovation, construction and expansion plans. The survey found the lack of data led to:

• 52% delayed or canceled office expansion plans
• 48% delayed or canceled renovations or reconstruction
• 47% postponed investments in building improvements
• 44% put consolidation plans on hold

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The impact on building maintenance and energy efficiency

Extending beyond commercial construction, the lack of comprehensive office usage data cuts into facilities management and maintenance costs. According to survey respondents, 82% report their cleaning schedules are not based on occupancy data for individual spaces, rather they are on fixed schedules. In turn, 66% clean all areas at the same frequency regardless of whether anyone has used them.

Also of note, the survey found that 24% of unoccupied or under-used office space is regularly heated and cooled.  

Better data on usage without compromising individual identities is possible using Butlr Heaticô thermal sensors. This way, facilities and maintenance teams can allocate resources where they are most needed while cutting unnecessary costs.  

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Undermining Workforce Productivity and the Employee Experience

When buildings are not responsive to the needs of tenants from a cleanliness, safety, and comfort perspective as well as office design and layout, it undermines workforce productivity.

For three quarters of survey participants, there is concern their current office layout is not conducive to their needs. Specifically, 78% believe that improved workspace design would boost employee retention while 59% say it would improve productivity.

These outcomes are attainable when decision makers can better understand how people are actually moving through and using the building, not just whether the desks are booked.

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Privacy first is a priority

One reason decision makers are faced with incomplete data is the challenge of responsibly collecting it. 92% of respondents cited privacy as a barrier to gathering space utilization data. At organizations with more than 1,000 employees, 69% view it as a moderate to major obstacle.

This is a common concern and why we built our sensors and data platform around thermal sensing technology that understands how spaces are used without capturing any personally identifiable information. You no longer have to choose between knowing a building and respecting the people in it.

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To download “Beyond Occupancy: The State of Office Space 2026,” go URL here.