Delivering Around-the-Clock Power

gas generator

To ensure the power is always on, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine installed a Cat G3412 gas generator to back up the utility feed at the Auburn, AL, campus.

On a branch campus of Virginia Tech in Auburn, AL, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) opened its doors with a vision to provide healthcare for nearby underserved regions while promoting biomedical research. In a state-of-the-art building on the southern end of the Auburn campus, more than 325 VCOM first-and second-year students are taught the fundamentals of osteopathic medicine. VCOM’s curriculum is based on a digital platform so continuous power is critical.

To ensure uninterrupted power, VCOM installed a Cat G3412 gas generator to back up the utility feed at their Auburn campus when the building first opened. Based on a recommendation from Cat dealer Thompson Tractor, VCOM transfers the electrical load to the facility once a month.

“Every time, the generator has kicked right in and done what it’s supposed to do,” says Randy Cerovsky, facilities director for VCOM-Auburn. “We have never noticed any delay in the amount of time it takes for the generator to start up and transfer the power over. Everything just runs smoothly; we’ve never had any issues.”

Technicians from Thompson Power Systems perform regular maintenance on the generator set. “Thompson Power Systems has been great to work with,” Cerovsky says. “They do all of the service, and they explain everything.”

Cerovsky receives email alerts when the generator runs or if issues arise. “One of the features I like is the Cat Connect interface that enables us to receive SMTP alerts so if anything’s wrong, we get notified and call to receive service immediately.”

www.cat.com/en_US

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management September 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Phoenix School District Breaks Ground on New Prep Academy

    The Creighton Elementary School District near Phoenix, Ariz., recently broke ground on a campus replacement for Biltmore Preparatory Academy, according to a news release. The new space will allow the school to expand its enrollment by 50 percent for K–8 students and accommodate modern, collaborative learning styles.

  • S4L Announces 2026 Education Design Showcase Winners

    Spaces4Learning is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Education Design Showcase! Now in its 27th year, the annual awards program honors innovative solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction across K–12 and higher education.

  • Arizona District Breaks Ground on Community Training, Learning Center

    The Tolleson Union High School District (TUHSD) in Tolleson, Ariz., recently broke ground on a new Training & Learning Center (TLC) for both district professionals and the community at large, according to a news release. The 90,000-square-foot facility has an estimated completion date of spring 2027.

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.