Queen’s University is moving toward a more integrated approach to managing its real estate assets and sustainability initiatives, as Principal and Vice-Chancellor Daniel Woolf announced plans to recruit a new vice-principal of facilities, properties and sustainability.

“With roughly 180 buildings and 170 acres of land in Kingston alone, Queen’s has substantial real estate holdings that are currently managed through three different vice-principal portfolios,” says Principal Woolf. “Assigning responsibility for the management of all property and sustainability initiatives to one vice-principal will help Queen’s develop an integrated real estate strategy that best supports the university’s academic mission and helps to strengthen its financial and environmental sustainability.”

The new vice-principal’s portfolio will include responsibility for Campus Planning and Development, Physical Plant Services, and leased property such as Innovation Park.

The creation of the new portfolio will help ensure that facilities and properties are cohesively managed as the university moves forward with addressing priorities such as classroom renewal, major capital projects including the revitalization of the Physical Education Centre, deferred maintenance, and sustainability initiatives such as the Climate Action Plan. A key component of the new vice-principal’s duties will be the development of a real estate strategy that includes opportunities to generate revenue from properties not currently being used for core academic purposes.

An advisory committee will be appointed to lead a search process and advise Principal Woolf on the appointment of the new vice-principal. That process is expected to begin in the coming weeks.

Queen’s currently owns more than 80 large buildings and almost 100 houses, occupies roughly 170 acres on the main and west campuses (plus 7,500 acres at the Queen’s Biological Station), and manages satellite locations in Toronto and Shanghai, as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, United Kingdom.