MGS Solutions Case Study: BIM Princeton University

SAM's Geomatic professionals were enlisted to create a BIM and Virtual Design Construction (VDC) model for the underground utility installation for the newly constructed Meadows Neighborhood, a bold 110-acre site development on Princeton University. This expansion established a newfound community within the historic campus: student housing and amenities, fitness areas, fields, and stadiums. Meadows Neighborhood will host advanced technology capable of supporting the university for decades.

As part of the Managed Geospatial Services™ framework, SAM supported the BIM and VDC process by collecting high-density terrestrial and mobile LiDAR, including ongoing Unmanned Aerial flights to monitor and validate as-building and as-built infrastructure.

The Meadows Neighborhood development entailed building a thermally integrated geo-exchange utility building designed to deliver clean energy throughout the campus. Nicknamed "TIGER CUB" as a tribute to Princeton's mascot, the facility and infrastructure consist of hundreds of geo-exchange boreholes installed and tied into a network of underground closed-ground heat exchange piping loops and distribution pipes to deliver heating, cooling, and hot water. This accomplishment marked a significant milestone for Princeton's green energy goals.

Such complexity and scale also meant careful coordination. SAM coordinated between the designers, contractors, and the university to ensure harmony between the digital and built physical world for the BIM/VDC process. SAM's experience has been gained from over three decades of knowledge, navigating programs of all sizes, and the ability to coordinate infrastructure development collaboratively.