Understanding Occupany
Compliance with the USE-IT act
USE IT Act Compliance Starts with Accurate Occupancy Data
The Utilizing Space Efficiently and Improving Technologies (USE IT) Act establishes a government-wide framework for measuring how federal office space is actually used. Rather than relying on estimates or badge reports alone, the Act requires agencies to deploy technologies that accurately measure building occupancy and report utilization data annually.
The objective is simple: ensure taxpayer-funded office space is aligned with actual workplace demand and eliminate underutilized facilities.
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The Act defines building utilization using a benchmark of 150 usable square feet per employee and establishes a minimum annual utilization target of 60% for federally owned and leased space. Agencies must measure occupancy using sensors, Personal Identity Verification (PIV) badge data, or other approved technologies while protecting personally identifiable information (PII). Buildings that remain below the 60% utilization threshold are subject to consolidation or space reduction, while facilities with utilization below 20% may be referred for Inspector General review. The law also requires agencies to publicly report occupancy methodologies, utilization metrics, and the costs associated with excess capacity.
Three Actions Every Federal Agency Should Take
Continuous Occupancy Measurement
Implement technology that accurately captures daily building occupancy using sensors or other approved methods to establish actual utilization rates.
Track Utilization Against Federal Benchmarks
Compare occupancy data against the USE IT Act's 150 usable square feet per employee benchmark and maintain an average building utilization rate of at least 60%.
Track Utilization Against Federal Benchmarks
Compare occupancy data against the USE IT Act's 150 usable square feet per employee benchmark and maintain an average building utilization rate of at least 60%.
Report and Optimize Space
Produce accurate, auditable utilization reports, identify underutilized facilities before reporting deadlines, and proactively reduce excess space to improve compliance and lower operating costs.
Agencies with Large Portfolios of Buildings Requires a Holistic Approach to Occupancy Management
Contactless FM Simplifies Occupancy Management for a standardized approach to complying with USE-IT act.
Understand Building Foot Traffic by entrance/exit, floor, or area.
Highway Restrooms vs Airports
Restrooms in highway rest stops are the least acceptable to summer travelers — they are more than 3 times as likely (3.2x) to view restrooms in highway rest stops as unacceptable compared to airport restrooms
Highway Restrooms vs Train Stations
Restrooms in highway rest stops are nearly 3 times as likely (2.7x) to view restrooms in highway rest stops as unacceptable compared to train station restrooms.
Airport, Train Station and Rest Stop Cleanliness by the Numbers
Airport Results
Airports are busy hubs with variable timetables and volumes. We compared the positive and negative response for a clean opinion. Dallas and Orlando airports topped the list as #1 and #2 for restroom cleanliness.
Detroit and Philadelphia rated lowest in the survey.
Train Station Results
The Union Station train stations topped the list with Chicago and DC taking position #1 and #2.
New York and Philadelphia train stations are some of the busiest and dirtiest according the survey.
Highway Rest Stop Results
The Florida and Pennsylvania Turnpikes are putting toll money to good use. They took the #1 and #2 spots with the highest overall score.
I-10 and 1-80 ranked lowest in the survey.
Travelers don't lose confidence because a restroom is always dirty – they lose confidence because they never know what they'll encounter. When restroom cleanliness is inconsistent, customers are less willing to stop, dine or shop because they can't trust the experience.
The problem isn't the location – it's inconsistent cleaning. Every time a traveler walks into an unacceptable restroom, operators risk losing not just that purchase, but future visits as well. Consistent restroom standards protect customer confidence, and customer confidence drives revenue.
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The 2026 Invisible Sun Summer Travel Restroom Index™
The most comprehensive survey of consumer views of the quality of restrooms across airports, highway rest stops and train stations across the United States, the 2026 Invisible Sun Summer Travel Index surveyed 788 consumers in May and June 2026. The survey is statistically significant, with a +/- 5% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.
Invisible Sun Technology, LLC.
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