Power Expectations for a Leading Edge Center for Computer Science

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Power Expectations for a Leading Edge Center for
Computer Science
Dr. Ron Vetter Professor and Chair Dept. of
Computer Science UNC-Wilmington

• Power Quality Interest Group Meeting
• October 20-21, 2003

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Vision for aNew Classroom Building

• To enable and foster interdisciplinary
  collaboration in the information sciences and
  technology across the university

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Rationale for the New Building

• Strong market demand for IT graduates
• Emergence of a digital, global economy
• Enable and foster interdisciplinary IT activities
  across the campus
• Expand IT program offerings
• Computer Science and Information Systems
  graduate program
• Information Technology minor

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How Did We Get to This Point?

• Chancellor Leutzes emphasis on IT
• Emerging importance of IT as a strength of any
  leading comprehensive institution
• Need for new and integrated curricula
• Growing opportunities for collaboration between
  the College of Arts and Sciences and the Cameron
  School of Business

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Computer Science Department

• Degree offerings since 1978
• 71 growth in faculty and 100 growth in
  undergraduate majors since 1998
• Strong demand for graduates
• Average starting salary for graduates
  is 47,000
• Major employers IBM, SAS, Corning, GE,
  VisionAIR, ATS

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Information Systems and Operations Management
Department

• Established in 1988
• 90 growth in faculty and 175 growth in
  undergraduate majors since 1994
• Starting salary for graduates averages between
  45,000 and 50,000
• Majors employers IBM, SAS, Corning, PPDI,
  AAI, Keane, VisionAIR

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Goals for the Facility

• Provide an interior that reflects technology, is
  student-centered and provides environments for
  teamwork
• Provide a space that encourages active and
  collaborative learning

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Goals for the Facility

• Provide opportunities for collaboration between
  academic departments and the Information
  Technology Systems Division
• Provide space as part of industry outreach and
  research collaboration
• Raise the IT literacy and capabilities of UNCW,
  the region, and beyond

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Unique Features of the Building

• Multidisciplinary, hands-on training laboratories
  immersed in state-of-the-art information
  technology
• Dynamically re-configurable research and
  instructional spaces
• Student sandboxes to facilitate team-based
  collaborative learning

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Unique Features of the Building

• Emerging technologies showcase
• Technology exploration area
• Real-time electronic trading room
• Mobile computing-centric environment
• Electronic kiosks
• High-speed connectivity throughout

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Building Details

• Budget 12,014,650
• Size Approximately 66,000 square feet
• Location East end of Student Commons
• Status Design Development
• Architect Boney Architects - Charlotte, NC
• Contractor Clancy and Theys Construction -
  Wilmington, NC  (Construction Manager at Risk)
• Estimated Completion Date May 2005

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Power Requirements

• Two services
• approximately 1200A at 480V (three phase)
• approximately 1600A at 208V (three phase)
• The two services are unique in that the computer
  systems are being treated as a unique end-use
  load (normally this is reserved for industrial
  applications).

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Power Considerations

• In our design, one benefit is that the heating
  load from transformers is removed from the
  building. A potential drawback is that the
  building does not have an additional layer of
  transformers to buffer from irregularities in the
  campus-wide power delivery. However, a larger
  than normal percentage of users will be using
  portable computing devices, which have battery
  back-up, so an incredibly large UPS and generator
  are not essential.

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Power Considerations, cont

• There is a UPS that is designed to provide 50KVA
  of back-up power to critical equipment, such as
  servers and switches, and has capacity set aside
  for the staff to determine additional locations
  that may be critical in the future.
• The UPS is fully modular and upgradeable for
  future installation of units for redundancy,
  capacity, or increased reliability. There will
  also be a small UPS system for the HVAC controls
  to ensure that controls are not reset for the
  system during power spikes or dips.

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Power Considerations, cont

• The emergency lighting system is also provided
  with a battery inverter system, which is a
  departure from standard battery pack exit and
  emergency lights. The driving factor was a cost
  analysis of initial cost vs. maintenance cost for
  two people to walk the entire building monthly to
  perform and document life safety system checks.
  This simple payback calculation demonstrated that
  the inverter system was cost effective for this
  project.

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UNCWs Proposed Computer Information Systems
Building
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CIS Building
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CIS Building
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Summary

• The CIS building will position UNCW to become a
  regional leader in the disciplines of computer
  science and information systems
• The CIS building will support the development of
  innovative curricula that stress the integration
  of information, technology and people