See how Willow can help you cut costs, save energy, and operate your buildings more efficiently and sustainably.
Georgia Southern University has built a reputation as a champion in sustainability, earning a place on the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools list and recognition from The Princeton Review as one of the nation’s top eco-friendly campuses for nine years in a row. Now, the university is taking the next step in its sustainability journey. Partnering with Willow to address challenges in operational efficiency and energy savings ensures that its campuses not only meet today’s standards but set the pace for the future.
Georgia Southern University faced a critical challenge in managing the high cost and environmental impact of operating its Statesboro campus, especially during Georgia’s sweltering summers. HVAC systems are essential but energy-intensive, and their efficiency hinges on smart usage. Siloed systems made it difficult to align HVAC operations with real-time room occupancy as a way to optimize energy consumption while maintaining comfort. Beyond HVAC, maintenance of other building systems like plumbing to proactively detect water leaks was equally vital. Shifting away from reactive maintenance to predictive models is enabling Georgia Southern to plan ahead, budget effectively, and minimize disruptions.
“Prior to being able to implement Willow, we had been a very reactive workforce” Matthew Shingler, Associate VP of Facilities explains. “We were constantly challenged with raising utility costs, aging workforce, and equipment costs.”
Willow’s platform transforms building operations by integrating spatial, static, and live data into a unified knowledge graph. This approach breaks down silos across IT and OT departments which traditionally manage disparate systems. Ranging from Building Management Systems (BMS) for HVAC to Classroom Scheduling, Willow’s extensive library of connectors enables seamless ingestion of data across systems, regardless of format or vendor.
Spatial data maps the physical layout of buildings, static data defines asset attributes and configurations, and live data captures real-time telemetry like temperature, occupancy, and equipment status. By ingesting data into a digital twin powered by a rich ontology and Knowledge Graph, Willow creates a dynamic model of the built environment. This enables cross-system intelligence allowing facilities teams to correlate HVAC usage with room occupancy and proactively schedule maintenance based on asset performance trends.
Willow’s digital twin allows Georgia Southern University to move from fragmented operations to a holistic, data-driven strategy enabling predictive maintenance across its entire portfolio.
Willow empowers Georgia Southern University to get notified on insights and take corrective action with precision and speed. The operational AI engine in Activate technology analyzes real time signals from sensors and existing systems to generate actionable insights across assets. Key Performance Indicators like Avoidable Cost quantify the energy impact, helping Facility Managers prioritize which issues to address first.
Automated ticket generation streamlines response workflows. Insight details in work orders ensure clear, step by step recommendations that target root causes. Willow’s built-in diagnostics detail which tests passed or failed, giving technicians the context they need to resolve issues effectively. Accountability is built into the platform as Willow tracks whether a closed work order actually resolved the original insight, preventing repetitive work on the same issue. Once insights are actioned, Avoidable Cost turns into realized cost, demonstrating tangible savings.
Georgia Southern is moving from monitoring to automated actions with Willow’s Active Control. Classroom schedule data in Willow allows planning for future unoccupied periods and dynamically adjusts HVAC set points for optimal energy use. This fusion of predictive analytics and automation allows the university to balance sustainability and operational efficiency turning data into decisions, and decisions into impact.
“Willow’s platform allows us to bridge the gaps across multiple data sets. When you’re looking at AI and the advantages that AI can bring to us, it all starts with the data. Willow’s ability to bring that all to a singular platform has been key.”
Willow builds a robust data foundation with its Knowledge Graph, creating a unified digital twin that powers intelligent AI experiences. This graph captures the ontology-based relationships between assets, systems, and locations, enabling conversational interactions with Willow Copilot. When a request is submitted for a room that’s too hot or too cold, Willow Copilot can help quickly identify which Air Handling Unit serves that room and where the equipment is physically located in the building. Willow helps stakeholders strategize by highlighting problematic assets and surfacing avoidable cost on the ones experiencing high numbers of issues. These insights support smarter budgeting and long-term planning.
Working with Willow has been a game-changer for Georgia Southern. By combining real-time data from multiple building systems, Willow enables precise control to deliver higher operational efficiency. Facility Managers can monitor key metrics like Avoidable Cost to understand where energy is being expended and take immediate action. With Willow’s AI-driven insights and Active Control capabilities, Georgia Southern can scale back HVAC set points during unoccupied periods, maximizing savings without compromising comfort.
“Since we partnered with Willow, in nine months, we have already saved roughly one million dollars as it relates to operational expenses.”
These savings go beyond utility bills as they free up resources for the university to reinvest in its core mission: student success. Whether it’s upgrading learning spaces or funding innovative programs, every dollar saved on energy is a dollar that can be redirected toward enriching the environment.
“Willow makes us more efficient,” Trip Addison, VP for University Advancement says. “We’re reinvesting our dollars back into the student experience and not wasting funds on reactive maintenance. Not only are we being stewards of facilities that they’re investing in, but we’re also keeping prices low. So when they give a scholarship to a student, it goes much further here than at other institutions.”
Georgia Southern’s progress is fueled by Willow and is grounded in a commitment to sustainability, innovation, and student success. By unifying its campus data in a single platform, the university is creating the groundwork that will enhance daily operations as well as support new builds and future initiatives for years to come.
With this data foundation in place, Georgia Southern is positioned to explore new AI-driven capabilities, scale proactive maintenance practices, and continue optimizing energy consumption. The resources saved can be reinvested into the student experience, advancing the university’s mission.
By combining a forward-looking approach to campus operations with Willow’s digital twin technology, Georgia Southern is building a smarter, more sustainable future. This creates a showcase example for how higher education can lead the way in innovation.
Founded in 1906, Georgia Southern University is currently located in Statesboro and enrolls more than 27,000 students each year across five campuses, with its main campus boasting over 150 academic buildings. Renowned for its strengths in business, education, nursing, and engineering, the university fosters student success through hands-on learning and a multitude of student organizations.
Expertise in this case study from: Ron Stalnaker, VP of Business and Finance at Georgia Southern University