n Integrated telecommunications rack system
n Vertical telecom-room UPS systems
n Campus wireless system
n Sound reinforcement systems
n RFID system
n Facility management system (FMS)
n Computerized maintenance management system (CMMS)Results
The cost savings related to the Ave Maria deployment were significant. It was
based on integrating and consolidating systems, infrastructure and organiza-
tions where possible. Some of the efficiencies in construction and operation
include the following:
n The university combined facility management and IT groups into a sin-
gle operations center. This provided some efficiency in equipment and
labor and saved $350,000 per year from the departments’ combined
budgets.
n The project used a single cabling contractor to wire all systems. Overall, the
project saved approximately $1 million in cabling cost or about 30%.
n After the university opened, the energy management tools allowed the
university to continuously reduce energy use and costs. Ave Maria now
spends about $600,000 less on energyper year than when it first opened
in 2007.
Best Practices and Lessons Learned
Owner Driven—Ave Maria University was a smart building project driven by
the owner. Bryan Mehaffey, vice president of systems engineering for the
university, understood the technology approach and its effects on construc-
tion and long-term operation of the campus. It was Ave Maria University
that directed the design team and the construction management team to
design and install integrated building technology systems.
Single Contractor—All systems, related cabling, and the management and
administration systems were procured from a single contractor, a building
Case Studies 205