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Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, U.S., is transforming its campus to meet the evolving needs of its students, faculty, and staff by operating smarter today, as well as preparing for the future.

Smart campus with a top-tier energy management program

Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas, U.S., is committed to achieving greater energy savings and operational efficiency while addressing deferred maintenance. Working with Siemens, SMU has transformed its campus to meet the evolving needs of its students, faculty, and staff.

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A smarter, more efficient campus

In 2017, SMU embarked on its journey to create a smart, more efficient campus. The aim was to improve the campus experience for students, faculty, and staff, drastically improve energy management and use, and enhance systems reliability. At the same time, the institution wanted to address deferred maintenance, while reducing operating and maintenance costs.

Siemens assisted SMU in creating a roadmap to achieve their vision, from upgrading critical infrastructure to investing in data collection and enhanced campus-wide controls and building management. Even greater efficiencies are realized through data-driven analytics, remote monitoring, and troubleshooting. On average, SMU has saved $2.5 million annually with the energy management program, while also enhancing campus comfort and reliability. A natural gas and electricity hedging program has protected the university against price volatility and major weather events for budget stability.

Lower utility cost/square foot

Since implementing the energy management program, SMU has successfully reduced utility costs, even while adding 167,000 square feet of new space and experiencing 20% enrollment growth.

Improved maintenance stuff productivity

By shifting from reactive to predictive maintenance campus-wide with Building X, maintenance teams can better prioritize tasks, prevent equipment breakdowns, and extend the life of key assets.

Lower energy costs campus-wide

In the first five years, the use of Desigo® CC, Demand Flow®, and precise automation programming delivered about 29 million kWh in energy savings, significantly reducing campus energy costs.

Comprehensive energy management plus efficient maintenance programs

With the goal of operating more efficiently as a smart campus, SMU implemented data-driven energy management and maintenance programs. These programs are based on an integrated campus management system with campus-wide submetering and sensors. Currently, Siemens and the SMU facilities team manage operations and maintenance, including building automation, central utility plant, fire & life safety, and security/access systems. Now, SMU can better focus resources and benefits from a sustainable financial model, which supports the university’s priorities and growth going forward.

There are over 12,000 measuring components out there across the campus that tell you there’s going to be a problem or there is a problem in real time. You can remotely solve those problems without rolling a truck.
Michael Molina, Vice President/University Architect, Office of Facilities Planning & Management, SMU

Elevating performance and efficiency

Working with Siemens to develop a roadmap, SMU achieved its smart campus vision: delivering value from infrastructure investments while enabling continuous improvement. Using Siemens building and energy management technologies, SMU realized its goal for a top-tier energy management program.

Working with Siemens to chart a roadmap, SMU can better allocate resources and benefits from a sustainable, predictable financial model, along with substantial energy and operational savings.

Infrastructure modernization and digitalization, powered by Xcelerator

Along with building a new central plant, SMU’s campus control systems were also modernized. Extensive metering and sensors for real-time data capture now supports a higher level of automation and digitalization for data-driven insights.

  • Desigo® CC building management system and standardized sequences of operations for building and mechanical components
  • Replacement of end-of-life air handling units and other dated mechanical equipment
  • Demand Flow® Smart Services chilled water optimization technology

Data-driven maintenance improves staff productivity and optimizes performance

With the power of digitalization, the SMU facilities team now has transparency and actionable insights into the performance of more than 25,000 mechanical equipment components for a proactive approach maintenance – even finding issues before they become problems.

  • Campus-wide Building X helps identify issues and ensure efficient maintenance and Building X Operations Manager allows on-the-go data for key insights
  • Advanced automation and analytics to continuously optimize performance and operations
  • Remote monitoring and troubleshooting for fast resolution
Through the power of digitalization and automation, more than 65,000 data points are now reported back to Desigo® CC every 15 minutes and enable actionable insights in real time at SMU.
By shifting to a predictive maintenance program, SMU has reduced on-site labor while boosting its maintenance staff’s productivity by 26%. In fact, 65% of HVAC issues are now resolved with remote diagnostics and troubleshooting

Strategic energy management delivers quantifiable benefits

SMU’s integrated top-tier energy management program streamlines operations and maintenance, but also improves system reliability and equipment lifecycles.
Key components are:

  • Remote and cloud-based performance monitoring and analytics for fast, efficient troubleshooting – without rolling a truck
  • A strategic energy supply, hedging, and budget risk management program to protect the university from dramatic price volatility and major weather events for cost predictability and stability in an area of the country where brownouts are common

A powerful synergy of technologies and solutions

A seamless blend of the following technologies and solutions working together at SMU enhances system reliability, improves energy management and use, reduces operating and maintenance costs, and enhances the campus experience for everyone.

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Desigo CC

Discover the full potential of your smart building infrastructure. Desigo CC is the integrated building management platform for managing high-performing buildings.

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HVAC Optimization

An engineered approach to improving HVAC system efficiency to allow systems to respond more effectively to demand, and to deliver energy where and when it’s needed – all without increasing cost or sacrificing building comfort.

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Building X

Our digital building platform, Building X, will help make data-driven decisions to improve sustainability operations, and building performance.

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Building X Operations Manager

Remotely operate and monitor a wide range of building assets, in real time. Access on-premise web applications in building management and automation control systems. React faster to disruptions and minimize downtime.

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Building Services

With an outcome-based approach, our broad onsite and remote service portfolio provides a solid foundation to enhance your buildings’ operations and maintenance.

Embark on the smart campus journey with us

Group photo of the SMU energy management expert team supporting smart campus initiatives

Get in touch

Do you have ambitious goals for your higher education institution and a vision for a smart campus? Connect with our experts to discover how an ongoing partnership can support you in providing exceptional educational experiences.

Let’s explore together ways to promote a culture of innovation, performance, and operational efficiency at your higher education institution. We look forward to hearing from you!