UTSA SmartLiving Campus

The UTSA SmartLiving campus is working to eliminate energy waste and maximize energy and economic efficiency through systems active control and technology upgrades to ensure long-term energy sustainability. Our campus is one of a few across the nation to embrace innovative technologies and serve as a living test bed to research efficient system responses to the day-to-day campus demand. Our research uses a multi-disciplinary approach to study the relationship of behavioral sciences and technology, and has active working relationships with 6 of the 7 colleges at UTSA.

Features:

• UTSA Multisite Solar-Farm has three installations stretching over the 1604 and downtown campuses and totals 1228 solar panels, 21 inverters, 18 Smart combiner boxes, and a website to display a real-time monitoring system that allows researchers and students to study solar power, irradiance and variability.
• Level III Electric Vehicle charging stations from Coulomb Technologies are deployed at both UTSA campuses for public use. 8 of the stations are available on the 1604 UTSA campus in the Jimenes Parking Garage and 3 are available at the downtown UTSA campus garage.
• Second by Second energy monitoring system tracks real-time energy consumption in all of the UTSA downtown campus buildings from the campus level, building level, floor level, and sub-zone. Each sensor is monitoring the HVAC, lighting, and plug load energy consumption.

Upcoming Goals:

• LED lighting in all of the UTSA downtown campus buildings to create energy and economic savings.
• Carbon monitoring sensors in two of the Durango building classrooms in order to manage cooling in classrooms as class size and schedules vary.
• Thermal camera sensors in the Buena Vista building to visualize heating and cooling patterns in the downtown cafeteria as kitchen needs and walk-through traffic fluctuate during the day.

University of Texas Energy Poll

SmartLiving Technology Video

Michael Cation, SmarteBuilding 

Juan Gomez, Ph.D., P.E. Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute

Rolando Vega, Ph.D., P.E. Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute