Schneider Electric, a specialist in digital transformation of energy management and automation, announced that it is working with the University of Notre Dame to implement EcoStruxure Building 3.0 in more than 95 buildings across its campus.
The University will benefit from increased levels of operational data visibility and control to better manage building performance, occupant comfort and energy efficiency, the company said in a release.
Last year, the University undertook a new modernization project to upgrade its building management technology to increase operational efficiency. The University decided to upgrade existing Schneider Electric systems to EcoStruxure Building Operation 3.0 to enable new levels of IP connectivity, building analytics, integration with metering and facility operations and increased cybersecurity.
This transition also allowed the University to bring existing product families into EcoStruxure Building with a new user interface that overlays analytics for energy efficiency, occupant comfort and more. Havel, a Schneider Electric business partner is installing 150 Schneider Electric SmartX Controller AS-Ps, which perform key functions such as control logic, and support communication and connectivity to I/O and fieldbuses, enabling the transition to EcoStruxure Building Operation 3.0 before the end of 2020.
“The University of Notre Dame campus is the largest EcoStruxure Building project with Havel in the U.S.,” said Justin Lavoie, vice president of channel development, Schneider Electric. “This is due in large part to our ongoing collaboration with Havel, a Master BMS EcoXpert partner, who has implemented Schneider Electric technology and solutions on campus for more than 25 years. We’re excited to work with Havel to expand our EcoStruxure footprint at the University of Notre Dame, especially in support of its ongoing work to improve efficiency and sustainability.”
Project planning began in 2019 and is expected to take 8-12 months. The University decided to start the transition in the facilities department building to gain hands on experience and then decide how to take it forward across the campus. The University has selected 6 buildings to upgrade and validate the conversion and implementation process.
Schneider Electric highlighted that EcoStruxure Building solutions provide the visibility, analytics and automated controls necessary to oversee and manage energy use, power quality and building performance to help the University maintain this level of sustainability while operating its facilities and providing occupant comfort once students, faculty and staff return to campus.
Another key component of this transformation is a new IP network solution jointly developed by Cisco and Schneider Electric. The solution brings IT and operational building control together and enables multiple Schneider Electric EcoStruxure Building IP architecture topologies to integrate with existing building layouts. Havel installed the joint solution at the University of Notre Dame to enable faster data flow across the OT network, enhancing performance while maintaining stability and resiliency.
EcoStruxure Building is part of Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Architecture, an open, interoperable, IoT-enabled system architecture and platform.
