Turner Construction Company Deploys Smart Building Technology at CSU Chico

When buildings are under construction and permanent heating systems are not yet operational, many jobs require the use of temporary heating systems to condition the space to ensure that newly installed finishes and glues do not warp or fail. While essential for quality control, temporary heating — which is often provided via fossil fuels like diesel, propane, or natural gas — is an expensive, and carbon-intensive process.

“We know that temporary heating is one of the biggest drivers of carbon emissions on a jobsite,” explains Emi LaFountain, Sustainability Strategy Manager for Turner Construction Company. “It’s also one of our greatest opportunities for reduction. If we can better manage the temp heating process, we can save money, improve air quality for our workers, quality control the installation of our products, and reduce carbon emissions.”

That’s why in January of 2024, Turner and United Rentals partnered up to deploy WEDGE sensors at the California State University, Chico College of Behavioral and Social Sciences project, an 89,075 sq. ft. new 3-story academic building. Six temperature and humidity sensors, placed throughout the building, were introduced to the project after one month of baseline data collection to moderate the diesel generators providing temporary heat to the space. The results were better than the team could have hoped for.