Smart Infrastructure

GIS & Mapping

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a tool used at UCF for infrastructure management in daily operations and emergencies. It records spatial information through shapefiles and attributes to a coordinate system, and is visualized from bird’s-eye view. All university commodities are located, field verified, and mapped in the ArcGIS software, aiding in new construction planning, infrastructure maintenance and replacement prioritization. GIS also supports various projects including the gas system pressure testing and system flushing program, and will soon extend to campus street lighting, utility meters, and the reclaim water line expansion.
Due to data sensitivity, utility maps are not shared with the public.

Metering & Analytics

Utilities & Engineering Services has direct responsibility for the personnel, operation, maintenance, and billing administration service portions of the utilities and energy budget at roughly $27 million annually. Utility bills, both inbound and outbound, are audited for the purchase of both regulated and de-regulated utilities, and are managed by the utility division. UCF’s department of Resource Management coordinates with UES to develop budget, plan for capital renewal, plant moderation and infrastructure, and works closely to develop projections for each fiscal year with the University’s Finance and Administration division.
Recently, UES has invested into a fixed network data collection system. This fixed network will eliminate the need to physically read all 580 utility grade meters on campus each month, lessening fleet vehicle use and emissions, and will also provide interval data up to one day lagging, with five-minute granularity on electric and hourly on natural gas, water, irrigation and chilled water.
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In 2017, UES launched a web-based energy dashboard to provide clarity and transparency with energy conservation initiatives, with the vision to aspire behavior modification, drive competition, and promote energy conservation with the student body and UCF community, by understanding the “big picture.”

High Performance Buildings

High performance buildings play an integral role in UCF’s learning environment. As UCF continues to grow, our objectives include reducing the impact of buildings on the environment and human health. The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® green building program is the preeminent program for the design, construction, maintenance and operations of high-performance green buildings. Like many of our peer institutions, UCF mandates LEED® certification for all new construction and major renovations through 28 credits incorporated in the Green Building Construction and Renovation Requirements with emphasis on energy, atmosphere, and water efficiency.
Learn more about UCF LEED buildings