From underutilization to oversight ready: Fixing federal space without new construction

In April 2026, the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced plans to consolidate into a single renovated headquarters while disposing of properties that had become too costly to maintain. Years of deferred maintenance had left roughly 40% of GSA’s headquarters uninhabitable, driven by backlogs and constrained access to the Federal Buildings Fund.

That decision illustrates growing pressures across the federal portfolio. Under the USE IT Act, the first government‑wide reporting period identified nearly 9,766 federally owned or leased spaces that failed to meet the 60% occupancy benchmark. The USE IT Act and its reporting requirements do not simply show that federal space is underutilized — they establish a requirement for agencies to explain, justify, and remediate underperformance through a public, data‑driven process.

For many federal facility leaders, the real barrier to meeting mandates is a lack of visibility into how space is configured, occupied, and performing, and the ability to act on that information with confidence.

Key takeaways

• Federal space underutilization is now a USE IT Act compliance and oversight issue: Public reporting requirements have shifted underperforming space from an internal facilities concern to a visible accountability obligation.

• Accurate, defensible space inventory data is the foundation for federal real property decisions: Without a current, trusted inventory, space strategies are difficult to defend under leadership and congressional scrutiny

• Room‑level utilization data is essential for effective space consolidation and reconfiguration: Continuous, space‑level utilization data enables evidence‑based decisions, supports USE IT Act reporting, and allows agencies to move forward with confidence rather than assumptions

Why you can’t optimize what you can’t map

Before agencies can reconfigure space, consolidate buildings, or justify disposals, they need a clear, current view of their portfolio.

In practice, that view is often fragmented. Space data lives across multiple systems, updates are uneven, and classifications vary by location. Floor plans don’t align with occupancy records. Utilization definitions differ from site to site. Over time, official inventories drift further from reality.

That gap slows decisions. Leaders cannot reliably assess capacity, plan reconfigurations, or exit leases without trusting the data behind those choices.

Building a space inventory leaders can trust

Modern space management platforms deliver a continuously updated view of the portfolio by aligning floor plans, occupancy data, and space classifications in a single system. Instead of reconciling outdated records, teams work from a current, defensible inventory that reflects how the agency actually uses space.

That consistency enables action. With standardized definitions across facilities, leaders can benchmark utilization, identify true underperformance, and move forward on consolidation, reconfiguration, and disposal decisions with confidence. It also strengthens alignment with oversight expectations by grounding recommendations in data that holds up under review.

The same data supports compliance. Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP) reporting and USE IT Act utilization requirements can be generated directly from operational systems, eliminating parallel reporting efforts and reducing discrepancies between internal decisions and what is submitted to Congress or oversight bodies.

Just as importantly, agencies gain speed. As occupancy patterns change, teams update a live system instead of launching new data collection efforts. Leaders can evaluate scenarios, validate next steps, and act quickly, confident the data is accurate, current, and defensible.

Why entry data can’t answer today’s space questions

Building entry data was never designed for the decisions agencies are now expected to make. It shows who entered a building — not how space is used.

That limitation has become a liability. Multiple federal reviews have found that most agency headquarters operate far below capacity, with one analysis showing 17 of 24 headquarters buildings at 25% utilization or less, even as agencies continue to fund their operation and maintenance, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Agencies are not being asked whether buildings are “occupied.” They are being asked which spaces can absorb staff, which floors should be reconfigured, and which assets can be eliminated. Entry data cannot answer those questions, and without that visibility, decisions stall — or move forward without evidence to support them.

Moving from building‑level estimates to room‑level evidence

Integrated space utilization and optimization tools help teams track occupancy at the room and zone level, creating a continuous record of how space is used over time. Instead of relying on periodic studies or snapshots, agencies see week‑over‑week patterns that reflect real behavior.

That level of detail changes decision‑making. Facility leaders can identify overbooked conference rooms adjacent to underused areas, test policy changes, model reconfigurations, and verify outcomes after implementation.

Room‑level data also separates perception from reality. A space that feels empty may still perform its intended function at specific times. Conversely, a space that appears fully booked may be doing so inefficiently. Evidence replaces anecdotes, and conversations with leadership shift accordingly.

In an environment where USE IT Act data is public, the agencies best positioned to respond are not reacting after the fact. They already have documented utilization records and remediation plans underway.

NOAA: one system, three regions, 20% lower spend

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration manages a geographically distributed portfolio across three regions. For years, that portfolio relied on two incompatible legacy CMMS platforms with different standards. Space records, asset conditions, and maintenance histories could not be reconciled consistently.

As a result, portfolio‑level reporting was slow, labor‑intensive, and often qualified. Comparing utilization or condition across facilities required manual reconciliation, limiting leaders’ ability to identify systemic improvement opportunities.

By consolidating onto a single platform, NOAA migrated data from both systems, linked more than 3,000 assets to preventive maintenance schedules, and standardized reporting across regions.

The impact was both operational and financial:

• 20% reduction in operational spending driven by improved visibility into space and assets
• Consistent space and asset standards across all three regions
• Centralized reporting to support portfolio management and compliance
• Improved alignment with Executive Order 13327 through accurate FRPP reporting

“We achieved our goal of having system‑wide, centralized reporting to better manage our large, geographically distributed facilities.” — Gina Ziegenbein, Property Management Officer, NOAA

When space no longer reflects how people work

Federal workplaces were designed for full‑time, in‑office teams. That model no longer reflects how space is used today. Floors sit under capacity while high‑demand spaces bottleneck daily operations. Conference rooms fill up while nearby areas remain empty. Assigned desks go unused while teams struggle to collaborate on site.

Without reliable usage data, reconfiguration decisions rely on assumptions. Progress slows, and the risk of getting changes wrong increases.

Aligning space with how agencies operate now

With an integrated workplace management solution, agencies can assess utilization at the space level, model reconfigurations before committing to them, and track outcomes after changes are made. Instead of committing capital based on assumptions, leaders can test scenarios, understand tradeoffs, and move forward with confidence.

That feedback loop matters. Agencies are no longer expected simply to make changes — they are expected to prove those changes improved performance. Reliable utilization data allows teams to document decisions, validate outcomes, and strengthen their position with leadership and oversight bodies.

Integration matters as well. Space decisions affect maintenance, booking, and compliance reporting. When systems are connected, updates flow automatically. When they aren’t, every change adds risk — and administrative burden — to keep records aligned.

Getting more from the space agencies already occupy

Today’s federal space challenges do not fail for lack of capital. They fail for lack of accurate inventory, credible utilization data, and the ability to act on both.

Agencies that build this foundation can reconfigure space, justify consolidation, and respond to oversight with evidence rather than explanation. They are not waiting for new buildings or expanded budgets. They are making existing portfolios work harder by aligning space with how work is done today.

If you’re ready to see what your current space can support, request a demo of Archibus for Government.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why do so many federal agencies struggle to optimize the space they already have?

  The core barrier is visibility. Space data is often spread across multiple systems, floor plans don’t match occupancy records, and utilization definitions vary by location. When official inventories drift from reality, leaders can’t reliably assess capacity, plan reconfigurations, or exit leases with confidence.

• Why can't federal agencies rely on building entry data to manage space utilization?

  Building entry data tracks who entered a facility, not how space is actually used. It can’t identify which rooms are overbooked, which floors can absorb staff, or which assets should be eliminated. Without that visibility, decisions either stall or move forward without evidence to support them.

• What's the difference between building-level estimates and room-level utilization data?

  Building-level estimates show whether a facility is occupied in a general sense. Room-level data tracks how individual spaces perform over time, revealing patterns that support real decisions like identifying underused areas next to overbooked ones, or verifying whether a reconfiguration actually improved performance.

• Can agencies address space underutilization without new construction?

  Yes. The barrier isn’t capital; it’s accurate inventory and credible utilization data. Agencies that establish this foundation can reconfigure existing space, justify consolidation, and respond to oversight with documented evidence rather than assumptions, without waiting for new buildings or expanded budgets.

• How does accurate space inventory data support compliance and oversight?

  A standardized, current space inventory allows agencies to generate FRPP and USE IT Act reporting directly from operational systems. This eliminates parallel reporting efforts and reduces discrepancies between internal decisions and what is submitted to Congress, keeping recommendations defensible under scrutiny.

By Jonathan Davis

As a content creator at Eptura, Jonathan Davis covers asset management, maintenance software, and SaaS solutions, delivering thought leadership with actionable insights across industries such as fleet, manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality. Jonathan’s writing focuses on topics to help enterprises optimize their operations, including building lifecycle management, digital twins, BIM for facility management, and preventive and predictive maintenance strategies. With a master's degree in journalism and a diverse background that includes writing textbooks, editing video game dialogue, and teaching English as a foreign language, Jonathan brings a versatile perspective to his content creation.