Faye Bowser on Creating Smarter Campuses

In an era of increasing pressure on university estates to do more with less, digital innovation is proving to be a critical enabler for transformation. Faye Bowser, Vice President Higher Education Vertical at Siemens, shares insights with Dr Graham Kelly from her global work with universities – exploring how data and digital tools are reshaping campuses to be smarter, more sustainable and fit for the future.

What role does digital transformation play in addressing these pressures?
It’s absolutely central. Data is the starting point, you need to understand what’s happening in your estate before you can make informed decisions. We often begin by helping universities assess space utilisation, energy consumption and maintenance needs. In many cases, we still see reliance on manual systems, such as clipboards, spreadsheets, siloed databases, therefore one of our priorities is to help universities digitise and centralise this data to give them a real time, accurate picture of their operations.

For example, we worked with a university in London to build a long term net zero roadmap, it began with a deep dive into their estate data, energy usage, occupancy patterns and emissions sources. That insight formed the foundation for prioritising investments like LED lighting, PV installation and even a water source heat pump drawing energy from the River Thames.

How can data help universities repurpose their estate to better support new models of teaching and learning?
Great question. The traditional lecture theatre model is being reevaluated and many universities are exploring more experiential, project based learning environments. This requires different types of space: collaborative zones, maker labs, flexible teaching areas. But before you redesign, you need to understand how your current spaces are being used. That’s where dynamic data platforms like Siemens’ Building X comes in. These tools bring together fast data like real time occupancy or energy use, with slower, static data such as floor plans and asset registers you can run digital simulations to test ideas before making physical changes.

We have seen universities ask, “What if we became lecture free?” That’s a bold idea, but with simulation and virtual modelling, you can explore the feasibility, costs and carbon impacts before committing.

Can you share any examples where data has been used to improve decision making on campus?
One great case is Southern Methodist University in Texas. They had a significant maintenance backlog and limited resources. By integrating over 65,000 data points from systems like HVAC, lighting, fire safety and access control, they could identify high priority issues and resolve many of them remotely.

That shift from reactive to proactive maintenance boosted staff productivity by 25%. But more importantly, it helped them improve the student experience – which is one of the most important metrics for a modern university.

Digital twins are very much talked about. How are they being used in education buildings
We are really excited about the potential of digital twins. They are not just 3D models, they are live, evolving replicas of campus environments, combining spatial, operational  and even behavioural data. You can use them to simulate everything from space layouts to sustainability scenarios.

With digital twins, universities can explore questions like: What happens if we consolidate three labs into one collaborative hub? How will that impact energy use, accessibility, or student satisfaction? And because they can be made immersive, they are a great way to get buy in from stakeholders.

They also have big educational value. For example, students can get access to real building data, using it in hackathons and research projects. That’s a win-win, better decisions for the estate and richer, more applied learning for students.

For universities at the start of this digital journey, what’s your advice?
Firstly, don’t go it alone. The higher education sector is great at collaboration – tap into networks, learn from peers, and leverage industry partnerships. There are already excellent business cases out there to build on.

Secondly, start with what you have. Don’t assume you need a big, costly overhaul. There’s often valuable data in existing systems – you just need to unlock and integrate it.

Finally, be clear on your goals. Is it carbon reduction? Student experience? Operational efficiency? Define your priorities so that the digital solutions align with real outcomes.

As higher education faces rapid change, institutions that invest in connected, data driven estates are best placed to lead. With technologies such as digital twins, intelligent building platforms and immersive simulations, the future of the university campus is not just smart, it’s strategically intelligent.