A typical university campus brings together multiple building types of various ages and with varying needs. Trane has vast experience designing for the multi-building campus, using a range of planning tools, systems, services, and building controls to address the complexities of these environments. We also help colleges meet student demand and work within limited budgets by fine-tuning their environmental strategies, implementing alternative energy sources such as geothermal and cogeneration.
Trane senior executives also collaborate with faculty and administrators to inspire the next generation of HVAC engineers, visiting campuses to share information with students about engineering and business issues. Trane also enriches engineering curriculum and creating clubs that encourage hands-on, experiential learning.
In schools, Trane works to improve acoustics and air quality, both of which are crucial to student outcomes and provide energy-efficient solutions that can result in operational savings of 30% to 40% for new school construction and save 20% to 30% for renovated schools.
case studies
University of Central Missouri
The University of Central Missouri (UCM) campus was facing approximately $20 million in priority deferred maintenance costs – with only an annual budget of $2 million available. Dr. Betty Roberts, UCM Vice President for Administration and Finance, says, “We had a ten-year plan, but with only $2 million annually we could never catch up. We had not received any funding from the state for capital appropriations in at least ten years. So it was: how do I create a positive learning environment – with no money?”
Oklahoma City Community College
After thirty-five years of providing quality educational opportunities to the community, Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) needed to improve energy efficiency, meet the needs of increasing enrollment with increasing square footage, enhance student and staff comfort and embrace new technologies. Trane systems and controls were selected to help the college meet its objectives.
Lakota School District
The Lakota Schools District in Ohio comprises twenty-five buildings including fourteen elementary schools, four junior high schools, two freshmen schools and two high schools, the Options Academy and the central office/service building. The buildings range in age from two to eighty-two years, with many requiring new mechanical systems, upgraded lighting, windows and other improvements. The school district wanted to explore ways to upgrade building systems for better comfort, reliability, maintainability and efficiency while improving the learning and teaching environment.