NetApp Innovation Campus at Wichita State University

Advancing Innovation with Applied Learning

NetApp, a leading company in the virtual cloud space, is committed to providing businesses and government agencies with a secure and unified environment for their data. Reflecting this commitment, they worked with Mecho to create a sustainable and energy-efficient office space at their building on Wichita State University’s Innovation Campus site.

• Location
  Wichita State University
  Wichita, Kansas

• Architect
  GLMV Architecture

  GC
  Crossland Construction

• Products
  PoE enabled SolarTrac automated shade system
  PoE enabled ElectroShade motorized shades
  Soho 1100 Series shade cloth

• Awards
  LEED Silver Certification
  Award of Honor by the Associated General Contractors of Kansas

Innovation Campus at Wichita State University

By partnering with Mecho, NetAPP ensured that this commercial space not only met their environmental goals but also upheld industry leading standards for innovation, technology, and durability. Mecho’s team of tech-savvy engineers and product developers provided the optimal assortment of products that coordinated with a Power over Ethernet (PoE) system, which was a requirement for the project.

What is PoE?

Innovation Campus at Wichita State University

Czarniecki Construction installed Mecho’s SolarTrac® automated shading system, which provides real-time protection against direct solar penetration. Radiometers on the building’s roof monitor sky conditions, while the Wireless Daylight Sensors with EnOcean® wireless technology offers a brightness override for overly bright conditions without the complexity of cables and batteries. SolarTrac operates in harmony with the Molex PoE lighting control system without any physical connections - SolarTrac manages the amount of daylight coming into the space and the automated lighting control system manages the electric lighting to the appropriate level. The installation included 86 ElectroShade® motors with Molex PoE gateways controlling 228 shades.

The SolarTrac user interface is an interactive browser that allows multi-platform, multi-user access to SolarTrac’s features and functions, providing an intuitive experience for users. By minimizing solar gain in the summer and optimizing natural light in the winter, the system contributes to the building’s sustainability and the well-being of its occupants

Learn more about SolarTrac

Innovation Campus at Wichita State University

The completed project earned LEED Silver Certification for its energy-efficient design. By choosing Mecho's state-of-the-art automated shading system, occupants of the NetApp Innovation Campus can experience an environment that is conducive to productivity and improved ambiance given the access to natural daylight. The system eliminates the need to manually adjust shades to combat glare and solar heat gain. Additionally, the building retains the flexibility to accommodate other needs, such as room darkening for presentations or privacy, with an easy-to-use manual override feature.

Czarniecki Construction’s exceptional work on the NetApp building earned them an Award of Honor from the Associated General Contractors of Kansas. This recognition is a direct result of their dedication to creating a functional, sustainable, and intelligent space aligned with the project goals for NetApp. This project not only introduces the first SolarTrac installation in southern Kansas but also holds the distinction of being the first recognized Power over Ethernet (PoE) project. It showcases the successful collaboration and achievement of a remarkable space that reflects NetApp’s commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility.