The following is an excerpt comes from Extron’s latest case study at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Read the full case on Extron’s website here
The University of North Carolina Wilmington – UNCW is an R2 Doctoral University recognized for high research activity. In response to demand for more classrooms and lab space, they made plans to build the new 145,000 square-foot Allied Health Veterans Hall, which is near twice the size of any other instructional facility on campus.
The building would include the first UNCW instructional spaces designed from the ground up as active learning classrooms, as well as state-of-the-art labs for studies such as anatomy and kinesiology. In addition to classrooms, lecture halls, and labs, the building would provide conference and meeting rooms, huddle spaces, and problem-based learning rooms to enhance communication and collaboration among students and faculty. To ensure students had every opportunity to reach their full potential, each room required its own flexible AV system that was easy to operate. Additionally, the AV systems had to tie into the Distance Education control room for centralized management and lesson recording capabilities.
UNCW had specific goals for the quantity, quality, and functionality of the AV technology in the massive new building, but they also needed to stay within a defined budget. In addition, they wanted a future-ready solution that would be viable for many years to come.
UNCW turned to consultant Affiliated Engineers, Inc. – AEI to design the comprehensive installation and KONTEK Systems, Inc. for whole-building integration. While the facility includes an extensive array of Extron products such as DTP® systems, Flat Field® speakers, and Pro Series control systems, this story focuses on the Extron NAV® Pro AV over IP systems that enables AV signal distribution throughout the building.
