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The Summer Campus Facilities Checklist: What Higher Education Leaders Should Tackle Before Fall
For higher education institutions, summer break is more than downtime between semesters. It is one of the only periods to address deferred maintenance, complete repairs, evaluate aging infrastructure, and prepare campus environments for the next academic year without disrupting students, faculty, or campus activity.
That window has become increasingly important as campus and facilities leaders face growing operational and financial pressure. Deferred maintenance backlogs continue to rise, operating budgets remain constrained, and many institutions are being asked to do more with aging buildings and leaner teams. According to Gordian’s 2026 State of Facilities in Higher Education report, capital renewal backlogs have reached $156 per gross square foot — nearly double 2007 levels — while operating budgets are running nearly 19% below target on average. New construction activity has fallen to its lowest level in 40 years, placing greater pressure on institutions to extend the life of existing campus assets.
At the same time, expectations around campus amenities and performance continue to rise. Students expect comfortable, technology-enabled spaces. Leadership teams are focused on operational efficiency, long-term asset performance, and capital planning. Facilities departments are increasingly expected to support all three.
The challenge is that many institutions are still forced into reactive decision-making, prioritizing urgent repairs over long-term lifecycle planning. As a result, summer projects quickly become focused on immediate fixes instead of the preventative maintenance and strategic planning needed to reduce future risk and improve long-term campus performance.
What Separates Reactive Campus Facilities Management from Proactive Planning?
The institutions making the greatest progress on extending the life of their facilities are approaching summer as a strategic reset window. Instead of addressing issues only after systems fail, these institutions are investing in preventative maintenance, condition assessments, asset lifecycle management, and long-term facilities operations planning. The difference between reactive and proactive campus facilities management often comes down to visibility, planning, and operational coordination.
The Summer Campus Facilities Checklist
Below is a summer campus facilities checklist designed to help both campus leadership and onsite facilities teams proactively focus on the areas that matter most before the next academic year begins. While day-to-day priorities will vary by institution, most campuses should use the summer months to prepare assets for peak occupancy in the fall.
Life Safety & Compliance
- ☐Test fire alarm and sprinkler systems
- ☐Inspect extinguishers and emergency lighting
- ☐Verify backup power and generator functionality
- ☐Conduct ADA compliance walkthroughs
- ☐Review environmental and hazardous material protocols
- ☐Complete lab and healthcare space compliance checks
- ☐Confirm emergency communication systems are functioning properly
HVAC & Critical Building Systems
- ☐Complete HVAC preventative maintenance
- ☐Replace filters and clean coils
- ☐Inspect boilers, chillers, and cooling towers
- ☐Test building automation systems
- ☐Inspect plumbing systems for leaks and pressure issues
- ☐Conduct water quality testing
- ☐Inspect electrical systems and backup infrastructure
- ☐Verify ventilation performance in high-occupancy areas
Structural & Exterior
- ☐Conduct roof and waterproofing inspections
- ☐Repair pavement, walkways, and exterior stairs
- ☐Inspect building envelope conditions
- ☐Review windows, sealants, and façade integrity
- ☐Service elevators and vertical transportation systems
- ☐Update deferred maintenance prioritization lists
- ☐Identify projects that may escalate into future capital events if delayed
Residence Halls, Classrooms & Student Spaces
- ☐Complete residence hall turnover repairs and deep cleaning between spring, summer, and fall occupancy periods
- ☐Refresh paint, flooring, and lighting where needed
- ☐Conduct preventative maintenance inspections on HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems in student spaces
- ☐Test classroom technology, AV systems, Wi-Fi, and overall connectivity performance
- ☐Improve common areas, student gathering spaces, signage, and wayfinding systems
Campus Experience & Aesthetics
- ☐Refresh landscaping and irrigation systems
- ☐Inspect exterior lighting and security systems
- ☐Repair parking lots, curbs, and sidewalks
- ☐Review accessibility pathways and entrances
- ☐Inspect drainage and stormwater infrastructure
- ☐Clean building exteriors and signage
- ☐Address exterior wear visible before student return
To download a PDF version of this checklist, click here.
From Summer Maintenance to Long-Term Campus Performance
Summer break is more than a maintenance window — it is a critical opportunity to improve facilities operations, address deferred maintenance, complete preventative maintenance, and strengthen long-term asset performance before students return in the fall.
Long-term campus performance increasingly depends on an institution’s ability to improve visibility across facilities operations, prioritize maintenance proactively, and make more informed decisions about existing assets. While many campuses manage facilities internally, teams are often balancing aging infrastructure, competing priorities, and limited operational visibility across complex portfolios.
Lincoln’s Corporate Advisory & Solutions (CAS) group partners with higher education institutions to implement a proactive approach to facilities management by providing integrated facilities operations, condition assessments, preventative maintenance strategies, deferred maintenance planning, and long-term asset lifecycle management. By aligning maintenance operations with broader campus priorities, institutions can reduce operational risk, improve efficiency, and create more resilient campus environments for the future.
Contact Lincoln CAS to discuss how to implement a proactive facilities management plan this summer.