Schneider Electric, UNT Partner to Support Campus Modernization
Schneider
Electric recently announced that it will continue its
partnership with the University
of North Texas (UNT) Health Science Center in Fort
Worth, Texas, via a new modernization project that will support
sustainable research growth at the university’s health research
labs. The $10 million project is the third within the last 10 years
between the two organizations.
According
to a press release, the partnership will offer about
$424,900 annually in avoided costs over an estimated 20 years.
Schneider will help the university repurpose spaces to make small
aesthetic changes to a small footprint, including moving a cooling
tower. It will also expand on the Schneider Electric Building
Automation Systems (BAS) already installed in campus facilities,
including the addition of a campus-wide EcoStruxure for Building
Operation platform.
“Because the
University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth is an
institution that supports significant research projects, it was
important that Schneider Electric make these upgrades without
interruptions to ongoing research on campus,” said Program Director
Greg Knudson of Schneider Electric. “Over our multi-year
partnership, we have come to understand the university’s needs and
ambitions, so we are well positioned to help them creatively
modernize their facilities and repurpose space within their existing
footprint to best position them for future success.”
The Health Science
Center’s small footprint complicated necessary upgrades to a large
mechanical system. The system was crucial in supporting ongoing
research initiatives, but it would also take up a large amount of
physical space needed for labs, classrooms, and other clinical space.
Schneider redesigned the system to relocate a large cooling tower
from the campus’ green space to the roof of an existing building.
Opening this existing space allowed for the addition of labs and
academic space and also improved the campus’ aesthetic.
“Research is an
important part of the HSC community—driving, funding and recruiting
for the university, as well as making it an ideal location to host
ongoing training for medical students,” said Randall Christopher,
Energy Manager at HSC. “The upgrades will provide a reliable energy
infrastructure to help continue that legacy with reduced risks
related to disruption. Beyond that, the reality of our research
facilities previously meant a large, noisy cooling tower in the
middle of our campus green space. Our partnership with the Schneider
Electric team has improved our infrastructure and our campus
aesthetics by relocating the cooling tower.”
About the Author
Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at mjones@1105media.com.