FSU Facilities BAS Team Talks AI and the Future of Facilities Management

06/25/2025

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Florida State University (FSU) Facilities Building Automation Systems (BAS) team was joined by Siemens at APPA's Targeted Titles and Topics (T3) Program, held in Orlando, FL on June 3, 2025, to discuss how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming facilities management. FSU utilizes Siemens building systems technologies to control and monitor real-time performance data on campus utilities, including electrical, chilled water, and steam.

FSU BAS Specialist Marcela Castaño Amaya led the session alongside Siemens Head of Educational Vertical Markets Fred James and Head of Product and Innovation for Building X Applications, Baiju Abdul Rahim. Together, they shared insights with professionals in higher education facilities on data analytics, highlighting how the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in educational facilities management can enhance energy and performance optimization, detect anomalies and trends, and empower institutions to become more innovative, sustainable, and efficient.

Marcela Castaño (FSU Facilities, BAS Specialist) presents a Case Study: AI Initiatives at FSU Facilities.

Universities are facing unprecedented challenges, including aging infrastructure, budget constraints, and resiliency measures, all while prioritizing the needs of end users. The presentation provided an overview of how AI can enhance facilities management and performance in buildings of various uses, as well as for a campus Building Automation System (BAS) network that may be fragmented. It also emphasized practical steps for implementing AI, including energy and performance optimization, anomaly detection, and energy consumption formatting.

Castaño Amaya presented a case study on AI initiatives at Florida State University (FSU) Facilities, highlighting how the integration of AI has enhanced facility performance. She demonstrated how other institutions can effectively incorporate AI features into their Building Automation Systems (BAS) through personalized learning platforms, intelligent tutoring systems, predictive analytics, AI-driven assessments, student support chatbots, and curriculum development tools.

In her presentation, Castaño Amaya provided an overview of FSU's BAS assets and operations, along with key integrations involving dashboards and the FSU Facilities Utilities and Engineering team's operations on campus. She encouraged institutions beginning their AI journey to consider areas where AI can drive meaningful transformation, such as automating repetitive tasks, supporting data-driven decision-making, and facilitating personalized communication. Additionally, the presentation addressed how institutions can prepare their BAS teams for AI implementation, including the necessary personnel and data infrastructure that enables FSU's team to succeed.

Lalit Agarwal (APPA, President and CEO), Fred James (Siemens, Head of Education Vertical Markets), Marcela Castaño (FSU Facilities, BAS Specialist), Karen Sanchez (Siemens, Senior Vertical Market Manager - Education), Baiju Abdul Rahim (Siemens, Head of Portfolio and Innovation - Smart Building Applications), and Kiran Muppana (FSU Facilities, BAS Developer).