Carnegie Mellon University expects to save about 10 percent on utilities costs — nearly $2 million annually — by installing a smart building system in 36 facilities on its Pittsburgh campus. The university has partnered with IBM to deploy the technology, becoming the first higher education institution to use the company's new cloud-based analytics system for reducing energy and facility operating costs.

"On its own, the deployment of this technology will drive significant energy and operational savings with a very attractive return on investment. Just as important, improved building performance enhances the occupant experience and provides a much more effective education and research environment," said Donald Coffelt, associate vice president for Carnegie Mellon's Facilities Management Services, in a prepared statement. "This technology offers us important gains in initiatives related to advanced infrastructure systems research, the Pittsburgh 2030 initiative and a more proactive building and infrastructure management model."