Upgrading campus living spaces with flexible wireless HVAC control

By combining modern FCU controllers with reliable wireless communication from LumenRadio, a university in Ohio, USA, was able to upgrade its dormitory HVAC systems without invasive cabling, reducing disruption, lowering costs and enabling a faster, more flexible retrofit.

Walsh University needed to modernize the control systems for fan coil units (FCUs) across its dormitory buildings. Each dorm room is equipped with one or more wall-mounted FCUs located in finished spaces with completed walls and ceilings.

The existing LON-based Invensys system was failing and required replacement. However, upgrading to new wired controllers posed a significant challenge. Running new communication cabling would require cutting into drywall and ceilings across occupied dorm rooms, resulting in high costs, extended installation time, and substantial disruption to students and campus operations.

The university was looking for a way to upgrade its building automation infrastructure without the complexity and cost of invasive cabling work.

Aerial view of a lush college campus with pathways, buildings, and trees under a clear blue sky.

A new BACnet infrastructure

To address these challenges, Gardiner, a building technology partner in Northern Ohio, deployed a wireless building automation solution based on LumenRadio’s W-BACnet technology.

A complete wireless BACnet infrastructure was installed across the dormitories, with one dedicated network per floor. Each floor was equipped with a W-BACnet gateway, enabling seamless communication between FCU controllers without the need for new wiring.

LumenRadio devices were installed throughout the dormitories, connecting newly installed FCU controllers and forming a robust wireless mesh network. This approach allowed Gardiner to replace all FCU controls while completely avoiding the need for invasive cabling installation.

Deployment included:

4 × W-BACnet DIN Rail Gateways — one on each floor
24 × W-BACnet Wall Mount units — 16 for the VAVs and 8 as repeaters (2 per floor)
4 × W-BACnet Outdoor Kits with external antennas
Additional units configured as repeaters to ensure full coverage across the building wings

Wireless benefits

By implementing a wireless solution, Walsh University successfully modernized its dormitory HVAC controls in a faster, more cost-effective and less disruptive way. Wireless also provided greater flexibility for retrofit applications and made future system expansions and maintenance easier.

Matt Montgomery, Director of Automation Sales at Gardiner, was impressed by the speed and ease of the installation:

“LumenRadio’s wireless technology provided tremendous flexibility throughout the Walsh University installation. By eliminating the need for extensive cabling, we were able to streamline installation, reduce disruption to occupied spaces and improve overall project efficiency.”

By choosing the W-BACnet solution from LumenRadio, Gardiner can offer reliable and robust connectivity solutions across the university’s buildings. Matt continues:

“The reliability and scalability of the wireless BACnet communication also gave the university a modern, future-ready solution that supports long-term building performance and operational visibility.”