Texas A&M University Selects Blue Pillar IoT Network for Emergency Power Monitoring and Control System

University to expand the Blue Pillar system to enable campus-wide connectivity of all back-up generators, automatic transfer switches, and associated fuel systems.

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Blue Pillar

Jun 13, 2019, 06:00 ET

FREDERICK, Md., June 13, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Texas A&M University announced it has selected Blue Pillar, the leading Internet of Things (IoT) network solutions provider for facility-based data and control systems, for the campus-wide integration of assets into its Emergency Power Management System (EPMS). Having successfully completed an initial pilot which integrated more than 25 assets into the university's EPMS, Texas A&M is rolling out the Blue Pillar IoT platform to the entirety of the College Station campus with a goal of improving the operations and maintenance (O&M) of their generators, automatic transfer switches (ATS), and associated fuel systems and providing relief to current staffing requirements by automating periodic inspection and testing requirements. Texas A&M will be using Blue Pillar's Aurora® software user interface as a Network Operations Center (NOC) to demonstrate continuous monitoring of their emergency generator fleet.

The expansion will include more than 130 back-up generators of multiple makes and models, 170+ Automatic Transfer Switches (ATS), and an additional 135 fuel systems, with the Aurora system providing real-time data on the status of integrated back-up power systems. The fully automated Blue Pillar system will help alleviate the significant manpower challenges that occur in the management of a large backup generation fleet, while providing core utility services to a 5000+ acre campus serving a growing population of over 60,000 students.

From the Aurora software platform, authorized Texas A&M Utilities and Energy Services (UES) employees will be able to access the real-time status of dozens of data points from the entire campus emergency power fleet and remotely start/stop the assets for testing, compliance, and operational purposes. Through the use of the Blue Pillar system, UES can more effectively manage the campus EPMS to ensure they are meeting the needs of the buildings they operate and the students and faculty that use them.

The UES Team at Texas A&M has the following primary objectives in expanding their Blue Pillar system:

  •     Demonstrate continuous monitoring of their backup generation fleet
  •     Improve O&M of the backup generation fleet through proactive alarming/alerts
  •     Automate repetitive processes so that staff can be free to work on things that require human intervention
  •     Improve operating and staffing efficiency be eliminating "wasted hours" spent walking/driving between assets by enabling remote control through software

Jim Riley, Executive Director for UES states, "Meeting National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requirements for inspections and testing of all life safety emergency power systems poses challenges with such a large asset base of campus emergency generators and associated automated transfer switches. Automated remote monitoring, documentation, and control of these assets will be an important improvement in both efficiency of resources and system reliability".

"With the successful completion of our pilot deployment at Texas A&M we were able to highlight the benefits of being able to not only get real-time data from the energy assets connected into our IoT network, but to showcase how secure control can automate the testing of those assets saving the campus facilities team countless hours that they can now use to support other operations," notes Tom Willie, Blue Pillar's CEO. "The new IoT network provides the campus system operators with a central data repository for all data regardless of asset type, manufacturer or communication type with the ability to test and monitor remotely. We believe that this expansion will provide a very cost-effective solution that will significantly impact Texas A&Ms energy and sustainability goals."

About Blue Pillar
Blue Pillar connects the things that power our world. The only IoT solution which utilizes end-to-end software automation to simplify deployments, Blue Pillar unleashes the power of real-time data to strengthen critical infrastructure and accelerate business. With Blue Pillar, companies have unprecedented insight into their energy needs to become more efficient and have peace of mind that when the grid goes down, their business will continue forward. Learn more at bluepillar.com or on Twitter at @bluepillarinc.

SOURCE Blue Pillar