Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD, USA, is transforming its campus into a smarter, more efficient, and resilient environment. Through phased infrastructure modernization and digital technologies, the university is improving performance, energy efficiency, and sustainability.
With its 10-year strategic plan "Transformation Morgan 2030: Leading the Future," Morgan State University (MSU) aims at transforming its campus substantially to provide students with a healthy, safe, secure, and more resilient learning environment.
Investments in infrastructure and modernization through digitalization helps make Morgan State University smarter, more energy efficient, and operationally efficient. The first of the total of four transformation phases alone guarantees savings of around $10M.
The implementation of its smart campus roadmap will transform Morgan State University into a high-performing, more sustainable campus with healthy, safe, secure, and comfortable living and learning environments.
In order to grow into the leaders that they are destined to be, our students require a healthy, safe, secure, and resilient campus setting. Working in partnership with Siemens in developing a more sustainable learning and instructional environment for our community moves us in a positive direction.
Morgan State University | Baltimore, MD, U.S.
Founded in 1867, MSU, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) has a long-standing reputation for excellence serving a multiethnic, multiracial, multinational student body and offering more than 140 academic programs. Designated as a National Treasure, its expansive 185-acre campus features a range of facilities geared toward innovative teaching and learning. It offers a safe and inviting learning environment with easy access to Baltimore's culture, exhibits, dining, shopping, activities, sightseeing, and employment.
Morgan State University's leadership had a vision for their campus to be elevated to Carnegie R1 status. However, like many institutions, they were challenged with large campus facilities and infrastructure at different stages of their lifecycle and needs, as well as multiple disparate systems. In addition, deferred maintenance posed even more challenges. How could they make their vision a reality? The question of where to start and even how to fund this effort was overwhelming.
Morgan State University turned to Siemens to leverage Siemens expertise as a partner for higher education institutions and co-develop a strategic plan. Working closely with Siemens and the Maryland Clean Energy Center, MSU leaders created a vision and plan to transform their campus through hard work, partnership, and innovation through a phased approach. Siemens Financial Services (SFS) provided capital and helped MSU achieve its vision using a unique approach that included leveraging federal funding grants, alternative financing, the funding of facilities upgrades and energy efficiency through energy savings, and accelerated depreciation to implement renewable energy systems.
The measures will result in guaranteed savings of about $10 million in phase one alone. By the end of phase four, the campus' GHG emissions will be reduced by up to 65 percent and the entire campus will have become smarter and much more efficient.
MSU partnered with Siemens on a 10-year plan to strategically invest in campus facilities – improving energy efficiency, resilience, and sustainability through systems integration and digitalization to become a smarter campus.
Combining expert domain know-how in power generation and distribution, energy management, building management, and asset performance optimization, Siemens energy and performance services will help Morgan State university save 1,500 MWh of electricity, 3,656 MWh of natural gas, and 1,905 metric tons of GHG emissions per year. This will translate into annual savings of $213,126 in energy costs and yield $330.190 in utility rebates. On top of that, the measures will enable annual savings of $55,000 in operational costs.
The implementation of Building X energy management dashboard and analytics platform along with Desigo building management and SENTRON powermanager software will integrate 80 field panels and 475 unit controllers. 7,500 data points across the campus will be used to track the performance of energy intensive equipment, improve energy efficiency and even reduce maintenance costs.
Fire protection, which includes detection, alarming, evacuation, extinguishing and danger management, is an essential part of a university’s infrastructure. Systems need to be up to date to ensure reliable operation for the protection of people and assets in case of fire. That’s why the university’s path toward operational excellence also includes testing and inspection of all existing systems and devices, upgrades of 1,698 notification devices, and the installation of 17 new fire alarm control panels systems and 1,595 new devices.
Enlighted sensors installed along with LED lighting devices will significantly reduce energy requirements on the campus. Measuring ambient light, temperature, motion that indicates that people are in a room, and current energy consumption, the sensors enable comprehensive optimization of space and energy utilization.
In times of tight budgets, it is even more challenging for higher education institutions around the world to meet ambitious sustainability and carbon emissions targets. In the U.S. in particular, deferred maintenance is another major challenge for many colleges and universities. Aging buildings call for renovations, infrastructure, and HVAC, plumbing, electrical systems, and building envelope modernization. According to APPA, an association of educational facilities professionals, the collective backlog of deferred maintenance amounts to US$112 billion. In addition to leveraging available federal funding, other funding options can be pivotal in addressing these challenges.
Morgan State University shows how digital technology can transform a 185-acre campus into a smarter, more efficient, and sustainable environment. Ready to explore what's possible for your institution? Get in touch with our experts.
