The University of York may be facing a well-publicised multi-million-pound shortfall, with the memes over the 1960s buildings never ending. However, a new study carried out by industry leaders suggests that the University is putting its money where its mouth is.
A report by SFG20, the standard for education building maintenance, suggests that York is the second strongest University in the UK in investing time and money into building repair and remediation, only behind Oxford.
SFG20 submitted Freedom of Information requests to 105 universities in the UK, from which it received 61 responses. The industry body then scored their responses to questions about: the total costs spent on repair works; completed repair projects in 2023; the current number of outstanding repair requests on university buildings; and the total budgets for repair and remediation in 2024. SFG20 said that a higher score represented a stronger investment.
The University of York spent £12.8 million on repair and maintenance works in the most recent financial year, coming in £3 million under budget.
SFG20 said: “With the rising costs of construction and many universities tightening their budgets, difficult decisions have been made about where to allocate resources.
“SFG20’s duty, as the industry standard for building maintenance, is to ensure that those interacting with the UK’s university facilities, both students and staff, feel safe inside these buildings and to ensure the appropriate guidance is provided to experts in the facilities management and built industry to maintain these buildings to a safe and legal standard.”
Paul Bullard, SFG20’s Product Director, said in a press release: “Staying significantly under budget on maintenance costs and keeping a low cost per repair request are both strong indicators of a well-structured, proactive maintenance strategy – one that prioritises efficiency and minimises more serious and costly unexpected downtime.
“Now, more than ever, delivering a great experience is critical. Well-maintained facilities not only create inspiring spaces for learning but also play a vital role in university recruitment and retention.”
SFG20 did not respond to our request for comment.