From Occupancy To Community-Building: Meeting Student Demands At Bisnow's London Event On 9 October

Rising enrollment and demand for quality housing are driving a surge in the UK’s market for purpose-built student accommodations, or PBSA. 

However, due to increasing housing costs, lack of financial support and insufficient supply, students are taking out bigger loans to afford adequate housing, making it difficult to meet their daily living expenses.

Evolution Sustainability Group, an energy management and sustainability consultant, recognizes that students want not only quality and affordable housing but spaces that help them connect. 

“The UK PBSA sector is maturing quickly, but the gap between student expectations and asset performance is widening,” said Guillermo Dekker, managing director for Evolution’s Europe office. “Students want more than just a roof over their heads. They want modern, sustainable and digitally connected spaces that reflect their values.” 

Dekker will be moderating the panel Meeting Student Needs and Market Demands at Bisnow’s UK Living Series: Student Accommodation Summit 2025 in London.

Register here for the 9 October event.

Bisnow spoke with Dekker about housing trends in the UK, some of the pain points of meeting student and market demands, and how Evolution is pivoting.

Bisnow: What housing trends are you seeing in the UK?

Dekker: Three big trends: sustainability as a decision factor when choosing accommodation, tech-enabled living through smart controls and apps, and a shift from just occupancy to experience and community-building. Operators who fail to keep up risk falling behind both in the market and in asset value.

Bisnow: What do you think will be some of the hot takes at the event? 

Dekker: I think the conversation will get real about the cost of doing nothing. It’s not just about reducing utility bills anymore. Poor energy performance means stranded assets, energy performance certificate, or EPC, penalties and lower valuations. 

Another hot take will be around balancing affordability and sustainability, the myth that these two goals compete. Our experience shows the opposite: Energy efficiency done right actually reduces costs for both operators and students while improving environmental, social and governance scores and long-term value.

Bisnow: What are some of the pain points in meeting both student and market demands?

Dekker: The biggest pain point is data. Too many operators are flying blind with scattered utility accounts, inconsistent reporting and no single source of truth. That makes it hard to plan capital expenditures strategically. 

Another pain point is implementation paralysis: lots of glossy strategies that never translate into action. That’s where Evolution comes in. We're not just consultants. We are implementers. We design, fund and deliver solutions that actually move the needle.

For example, we worked with a leading PBSA operator to conduct American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, or ASHRAE, level energy audits across their flagship properties. The audits uncovered over £3M in investable energy conservation measures with ROI under three years, allowing the client to allocate capital expenditures with confidence and boost EPC ratings. 

Bisnow: How else is Evolution working to address pain points? 

Dekker: We support a PBSA client with large-scale thermostat rollouts, with more than 3,000 units installed, achieving verified reductions in heating and cooling loads while enhancing student comfort. 

For another client, we have built full ESG road maps for their PBSA portfolio, integrating EPC upgrades, certification pathways and energy procurement strategies. That not only reduces operational costs but also protects long-term asset value by delaying carbon risk real estate monitor, or CRREM, stranding risks.

Bisnow: How does Evolution continue to innovate in this fast-growing sector while keeping affordability and sustainability in mind?

Dekker: We innovate by being both global and local. Globally, we manage over 7,500 utility accounts and retrofit hundreds of buildings, allowing us to observe best practices across various markets. Locally, we partner with regional experts in procurement, audits and delivery to tailor solutions. 

Our sweet spot is turning sustainability into asset value, and every project is structured around ROI, incentives and EPC uplift. That’s why our clients trust us: We make ESG, energy and sustainability not just a compliance checkbox but a value-creation engine for PBSA portfolios.

Bisnow: What inspired you to moderate the event?

Dekker: PBSA is one of the most exciting asset classes right now, and operations are the beating heart of it. This is where theory meets reality, where we stop talking about intentions and start talking about how to actually deliver solutions in buildings. 

For Evolution, it’s also about showing that we are not just observers in this industry. We are active partners helping shape its future. Plus, it’s a chance to learn from peers, challenge assumptions and keep the conversation bold and practical.

This article was produced in collaboration between Evolution Sustainability Group and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.