University of Tulsa Improves Facility Operations with Instant Access to Building Information

The University of Tulsa is spread across more than 230 acres, with facilities teams supporting more than two million square feet of buildings and infrastructure. With staff working across campus and at multiple locations throughout Oklahoma, accessing building and equipment information quickly has long been a challenge.

"It's tough if we're off-site and need some information about a piece of equipment," said Michael Gammill, Director of Facilities Management. "In the past, we've had to drive back across town to go to our print room and dig for hours through documents."

To improve efficiency, the University digitized its archives and blueprints and made them accessible from mobile devices. Instead of returning to the office to search for information, technicians can access what they need wherever they are working.

Jake Miller, the University's Inventory Specialist, noted the advantages of having immediate access to information, especially when dealing with replacement parts and aging equipment.

Michael emphasized that while technicians possess extensive knowledge of the campus and strong mechanical expertise, preserving that knowledge for future generations is becoming increasingly important.

"We've got to be very creative about how we get important building and equipment information to our technicians," he said. "If we don't have the information, then it's hard to operate, maintain, and improve our campus, and that's what we're here for."

The value of having information readily available became clear during a major basketball tournament when an electrical issue caused the outside lighting to fail.

"Our outside lighting shut down, which made it unsafe for fans exiting the building," said Chris Tuttle, Electrical & Plumbing Manager. "I was at home, pulled up the correct electrical panel from my phone and gave directions about what to look for. We restored it back on and didn't have to call anyone in the night to take care of it."

The University of Tulsa is known for embracing innovation across campus, including autonomous delivery vehicles that transport food to students and robotic equipment that helps maintain campus grounds. As the campus continues to evolve, giving facilities teams instant access to building and equipment information helps them work more efficiently, respond faster, and keep operations running smoothly.