Miller Hull

How UW is Working with Miller Hull to tackle deferred maintenance with smarter planning.

Every institution has its ticking clocks. At the University of Washington, one of the loudest is the growing backlog of deferred renewal needs across more than 200 buildings on its Seattle campus. These aging facilities increasingly threaten UW’s ability to support its core mission of education and research. In 2020, a comprehensive facility condition assessment confirmed the scope of the problem and the risk it poses.

UW is not alone. Across the country, higher education institutions are grappling with the challenge of maintaining aging infrastructure amid budget constraints and increasing expectations for performance, sustainability and resilience. But instead of reacting to problems as they arise, UW is reframing the issue with a proactive and data-informed Campus Renewal Program.

Working alongside the university, Miller Hull helped develop a strategic, long-range planning tool that maps a path forward — one that ties facilities decisions to academic priorities, financial realities and long-term campus goals. The approach offers a new model for capital planning in higher education: measurable, adaptable and mission-aligned.

Read the full story at Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce