VCU Space Strategy and Planning Program
Understanding how VCU uses space – across academic, administrative, student support, and research facilities – is essential for strategic decision-making, capital planning and responsible resource stewardship. Optimizing spaces:
- Fosters collaboration: Creates dynamic learning and work environments while preserving areas for confidential conversations when privacy is needed.
- Drives innovation: Supports academic and research growth by aligning space needs with the institutional mission.
- Guides master planning: Informs space-use decisions to plan strategic moves, construction and renovation projects for both current and future operations.
VCU takes a holistic approach to space strategy and planning. In addition to an annual space survey, which identifies space assignments and uses, VCU uses space utilization technology, such as Occuspace sensors and CampusIQ technology, in academic, administrative and research buildings to understand how often and when spaces are used. These technologies are used across the Monroe Park Campus to gather anonymous space utilization data across campus facilities, including shared spaces (e.g., classrooms, meeting rooms) and individually assigned spaces (e.g., single-person offices, individual labs). To protect privacy, data from individually assigned spaces is never reported at the single-room level; it is only analyzed and reported in aggregate for groups of offices or whole floors. The systems simply measure overall density and utilization patterns and do not monitor specific individuals.
The collected data helps VCU space planners assign spaces based on occupancy trends; for example, allocating spaces suitable for the number of students attending a class, or adjusting heating, ventilation and air conditioning to reduce energy consumption.
Questions? Email fmdspace@vcu.edu
Read the VCU News story here.
About CampusIQ
CampusIQ technology is a prominent space occupancy platform in higher education that helps institutions understand how often spaces are used, when they are used and by how many people.
VCU prioritizes data security and complies with all established university policies and guidelines. CampusIQ helps VCU collect space utilization data without tracking individual users. Data is collected anonymously at the Wi-Fi access point level and contains no personal identity information. Here is how the process protects user privacy at every stage:
- Wi-Fi connection level: When a device connects to a VCU Wi-Fi access point, the access point only checks a hardware device number to confirm it is a registered user. It does not associate or store your name, VCU eID, or personal account details with that connection.
- CampusIQ data logs: When CampusIQ accesses connection logs, it only receives two pieces of data: a device number and the number of minutes that device was connected to a specific access point. It cannot see who owns the device or what the device is doing.
- Aggregate reporting: CampusIQ software uses these raw counts strictly to calculate total traffic—tallying how many active devices were connected to an access point during a specific timeframe.
Because personal identifiers are never associated with the Wi-Fi logs in the first place, the data remains anonymous before, during, and after processing.
How does data remain anonymous?
- Not collecting personal identifying information (e.g., names, VCU eID or email addresses).
- Employing advanced de-identification methods to make sure that any data collected cannot be tracked back to individual users. For instance, the system uses unique, randomized identifiers for devices rather than persistent or recognizable user IDs, making it impossible to track individual movements or activities, individual behavior, browsing history or internet usage.
- Focusing on collecting data at a macro level. For instance, instead of monitoring which specific individuals are in a space, the system records the total number of connections to the network to determine density. This aggregate data is then used to analyze overall space utilization patterns.
- Focusing on space density.
Does the technology “see” me? How does it detect an individual?
The technology does not show who is in a space but instead indicates the number of people in a space.
How does the technology gather data throughout the building?
When a WiFi-enabled device connects to a Wi-Fi access point, the connection is automatically logged by the VCU network. VCU securely forwards these anonymous connection logs to CampusIQ that then processes and reports various utilization and space use metrics to VCU.
Do other higher-education institutions use this technology to measure occupancy?
Yes, CampusIQ also works with a number of higher-education institutions across the country, which are listed on the CampusIQ website. Institutions include, but are not limited to, the University of Virginia, University of Texas San Antonio, University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Central Florida.
Who has access to the occupancy information?
The space utilization data is used by space administrators and university leaders who are involved in space planning and utilization.
How and why did VCU select CampusIQ?
VCU decided to use the CampusIQ system because they meet the security and infrastructure requirements set by VCU Technology Services and have partnered with other higher education institutions across the country. CampusIQ was also chosen due to their data visualization dashboard, customer service and custom reporting.
How will the university community be notified of where the technology is being used?
The VCU community will be informed of the use of CampusIQ technology via TelegRAM announcements, emails to building managers and a VCU News story.
What buildings are currently using CampusIQ?
VCU piloted Campus IQ in the following buildings beginning in 2025
- Health Sciences Library
- Hunton Student Center Building
- Hermes A. Kontos Medical Sciences Building
- Molecular Medicine Research Building
- Sanger Hall Building
As of Oct 1, 2026
- 1235 West Broad St
- 500 Academic Centre
- 612-620 North Lombardy St
- 6-8 North Harrison St
- 800 West Broad St
- 807 South Cathedral Pl
- 815 South Cathedral Pl
- 817 South Cathedral Pl
- 822 West Broad St
- 9 West Cary St
- 911 West Grace St
- 918 West Franklin St (Rear)
- 920 West Franklin St (Rear)
- 920 West Grace St
- 930 West Grace St
- 940 West Grace St
- Academic Learning Commons
- Anderson House
- Bird House
- Blanton House
- Bowe House
- Buford House
- Cathedral I
- Cathedral III
- Cathedral IV
- College of Engineering - Clean Room
- College of Engineering - East
- College of Engineering - West
- College of Engineering Research Building
- Crenshaw House
- Depot Annex
- Eugene P. and Lois E. Trani Center for Life Sciences
- Facilities Administration Building
- Founders Hall
- Franklin Terrace
- Gabriel's House
- Grace E. Harris Hall
- Grace E. Harris Hall - South
- Grace Street Center
- Grace Street Theater
- Hibbs Hall
- HR Learning Center
- Human Resources Building
- Hunton House
- Institute for Engineering and Medicine
- James Branch Cabell Library
- James W. Black Music Center
- Kearney House
- Lindsey House
- LSEE Center
- McAdams House
- Mike Hughes Hall
- Millhiser Carriage House
- Millhiser House
- Moseley House
- Murry N. DePillars Building
- Office of the President
- Office of the Provost
- Oliver Hall-Education Wing
- Oliver Hall-Physical Science Wing
- Pollak Building
- Power Plant (Monroe Park Campus)
- Raleigh Building
- Ritter-Hickok House
- Scherer Hall
- Scott Carriage House
- Scott House
- Shafer Court Dining Center
- Shafer Street Playhouse
- Singleton Center for the Performing Arts
- Sitterding House
- Snead Hall
- Stagg House
- Starke House
- STEM
- T. Edward Temple Building
- Technology Operations Center
- The Center for Cultural Experience Prevention
- The Depot
- Thurston House
- University Student Commons
- Valentine House
- VCUQatar House
- White House
See campus maps for building locations.
About Occuspace
Occuspace sensors were installed in the strategically selected academic, administrative and research spaces on the Monroe Park Campus listed below in 2025 and will remain in place until summer 2027.
- Grace E. Harris Hall, fifth floor
- Hibbs Hall, second, third, and fourth floors
- Oliver Hall Physical Sciences Wing, second and third floors
- STEM Building, Math Exchange
- T. Edward Temple Building, third and fourth floors
Sensors were also used in Biotech 1, 3rd floor and Larrick Student Center through summer 2026 and were removed due to renovations.
Occuspace sensors anonymously scan for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signal activity within a given area and pick up laptops, cell phones, wearables (e.g., smartwatches), and other connected devices. They then use machine learning algorithms to estimate the number of people within the area. This information helps VCU understand total foot traffic, how many people are in a space, and time spent within a given space.
The sensors do not show who is in the space but rather indicate the number of people in a space with 95% accuracy. The occupancy information is collected for the floor, not individuals or individual offices, classrooms or workspaces.
VCU prioritizes data security and complies with all established university policies and guidelines. The privacy-first Occuspace sensors do not collect any personal information. You can read Occuspace’s privacy policy here.
What information is Occuspace designed to gather?
Occuspace sensors gather modeled estimations of the current number of people in their spaces based upon the total bluetooth and Wi-Fi signal activity observed at any given moment within a given area in spaces that are at least 1,500 square feet or larger. It does not report specific seats or individual office occupancy.
The Occuspace algorithms also consider the presence of multiple electronic devices per person by analyzing physical location and activity.
How does Occuspace gather information?
Occuspace sensors detect Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi signal activity in an area from the presence of laptops, cell phones, wearables and other devices in the vicinity and send summary information to Occuspace's cloud for data processing.
Do the sensors gather any personal information?
No, Occuspace has strong privacy principles and does not collect any personal information of any kind. Learn more about Occuspace’s privacy policy here. These technologies gather anonymous space utilization data across campus facilities, including shared spaces (e.g., classrooms, meeting rooms) and individually assigned spaces (e.g., single-person offices, individual labs). To protect privacy, data from individually assigned spaces is never reported at the single-room level; it is only analyzed and reported in aggregate for groups of offices or whole floors. The system simply measures overall density and utilization patterns without monitoring specific individuals. The sensors may be in an individual office but only as part of a network mesh, never to monitor an individual office.
Will the sensors “see” me? How does it detect an individual?
The sensors cannot “see” or track individuals; they simply identify the presence of radio signal activity. The collected signal data is analyzed by proprietary machine learning algorithms using extensive training data gathered over years by Occuspace. These models translate more than 20 unique attributes into estimated counts of people relative to the number and positions of people and radio signals in a space, deduplicating to represent counts of people.
Where are sensors placed in the identified spaces?
Sensors are mounted in electrical outlets. Though the sensors may be in an individual office but only as part of a network mesh, never to monitor an individual office.
Do other higher-education institutions use this technology to measure occupancy?
Yes, Occuspace also works with a number of higher-education institutions across the country, which are listed on their website. Institutions include, but are not limited to, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State University, Northwestern, Oregon State, Stanford, University of California San Diego, the University of South Carolina, and the University of Virginia.
Who will have access to the occupancy information?
The data will only be provided to space administrators and university leaders who are involved in space planning and utilization. The information will not be used to track attendance or infer identities of occupants.
How and why did VCU select Occuspace?
VCU decided to use the Occuspace sensors because they meet the security and infrastructure requirements set by VCU Technology Services and provide the ability for Occuspace to reset the sensors and move them to other locations, upon request by VCU.
How was the university community notified of where the technology is being used?
VCU faculty and staff in spaces where the sensors are or were placed were notified via email and in meetings prior to the sensors being installed in April 2025.