Data Infrastructure Project
Data Infrastructure Project
Data Infrastructure Project
The Oakland University Data Infrastructure Project represents a vital investment in our campus' future, establishing the resilient technological foundation needed to sustain next-generation discovery, instruction, and campus operations.
Originally proposed in 2025 to resolve critical technological deficits, this initiative is designed to keep pace with the university's ever-increasing data-processing requirements.
Currently, OU's computing core is split between aging, fragmented spaces in Dodge Hall and North Foundation Hall. As computing demands across core disciplines continue to rise sharply, this legacy environment presents clear technological limitations that directly impact campus teaching and research. To ensure our community has the tools required to succeed, replacing these legacy systems with a purpose-built facility is an essential next step.
This project serves as a catalyst for research and innovation on campus. By expanding OU's capacity to experiment, analyze, and collaborate, it will elevate academic research, equip students with cutting-edge skills, and connect OU to emerging opportunities across the digital landscape. Collaborations with industry partners will also create direct avenues for OU students to gain internship experience and build career pathways.
The proposed project supports several strategic goals:
- Infrastructure Modernization: Replaces OU's current system, which is nearing its end of life and unable to currently support student/faculty needs, with advanced, high-tech infrastructure.
- Academic Expansion: Equips classrooms and research labs with the computing capabilities necessary for high-level inquiry, and students with skills necessary to be workforce-ready in the 21st century.
- Research & Internships: Powers faculty and student research, creates student internships, and opens career pathways through partnerships with industry partners.
- Sustainability: Supports OU’s sustainability and decarbonization goals by exploring strategies such as efficient cooling and waste heat recovery as part of a future-ready design.
- Revenue Generation: Creates potential financial benefits through the developer partnership that can help support University operations and initiatives.
Strategic Vision 2030Campus Plan 2035
Information on this page reflects preliminary planning and may be refined as the project advances through Board of Trustees review, campus engagement, and the formal design process.
| Phase | Details |
|---|---|
| June 2025 | Project presented at Board of Trustees Formal (Public) Session; feasibility study approved |
| June-Sept. 2025 | RFP issued; Fairmount Properties selected as developer |
| Oct. 2025-May 2026 | Feasibility phase: evaluate utilities, assess initial OU programmatic needs, identify potential industry partnerships, establish early schedule and engage with campus stakeholders. Initiate business planning. |
| June 2026 |
Project will advance to the Board of Trustees for approval at the June 2026 Formal (Public) Session pending the outcome of the feasibility phase. |
| Fall 2026-Winter 2027 |
Due diligence phase (if approved): Site, infrastructure, financial, and environmental assessments |
| July 2027-Fall 2028 | Design phase: Site design, building layout, technical systems & docs |
| ~18-21 months after Design phase concludes | Construction: Build-out per approved construction documents |
Engagement Through Shared Governance
The University is committed to providing ongoing updates and engaging with the campus community throughout this process. Project updates will be shared through OU’s shared governance process, including:
- University Senate
- Campus Development & Environment Committee of the Senate (CDEC)
- Senate Planning and Review Committee (SPRC)
- OU Student Congress (OUSC)
- President's Cabinet
Additionally, campus email announcements and virtual campus updates will be provided throughout the academic year.
Data Infrastructure Project Presentations to Date:
September, 2025
- 9/18: CDEC
- 9/20: President’s Cabinet
October, 2025
- 10/6: Provost’s Council
- 10/16: Board of Trustees Work Session
November, 2025
- 11/11: OUSC
- 11/20: Campus Development and Environment Committee (Memo)
- 11/18: Senate Steering Committee
- 11/20: University Senate
January, 2026
- 1/17: Board of Trustees (email)
- 1/27: Campus email update
- 1/29: City of Auburn Hills
February, 2026
- 2/12: Board of Trustees Work Session
- 2/13: Campus Development and Environment Committee (Memo)
- 2/13: Press Release
- 2/17: President’s Leadership Council
- 2/24: City of Auburn Hills
March, 2026
Data Center Update Presentation
Meetings:
- 3/10: Senate Steering Committee
- 3/11: Senate Budget Review Committee
- 3/16: Provost’s Council
- 3/16: OU Post and WXOU
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3/16: OU Student Congress
- 3/16: Board of Trustees (Memo)
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3/19: University Senate
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3/20: CDEC
- 3/26: OU Town Hall
- 10 meetings with 21 faculty regarding computing needs and industry partnerships
April, 2026
- 4/10: CDEC/SPRC Joint Meeting
- 4/13: President's Cabinet
- 4/14: Senate Steering Committee
- 4/16: University Senate
- 4/17: City of Auburn Hills
- 4/20: Provost's Council
- 4/23: Board of Trustees Work Session
- 4/28: President's Leadership Council
- 9 meetings with 14 faculty regarding computing needs and industry partnerships
May, 2026
- 5/15: CDEC
- 5/21: Board of Trustees Work Session
June, 2026
- 6/5: Virtual Campus Update
- 6/10: Board of Trustees Work Session
Below are answers to common questions received from across the University community regarding the proposed Data Infrastructure Project. Because the project is just entering the due-diligence phase, technical and operational details are still being determined by the project team. This page serves as a transparent resource and will be updated on a regular basis as the planning process advances and new information becomes available.
ENVIRONMENTAL
How will the proposed facility impact campus and local water usage?
Unlike older, large-scale computing facilities that rely on water-intensive cooling towers, proposed cooling for this facility is a modern, efficient cooling system that minimizes water consumption utilizing industry best practices. The facility’s water use is anticipated to be low, comparable to a standard campus office building. The final determination on cooling system will be made during the upcoming system design phase.
What is the expected noise impact from the facility?
Overall campus noise impacts are expected to be minimal, and noise-studies will be conducted during the current due diligence phase. By integrating comprehensive sound-dampening measures directly into the initial design phase and combining a strategic site layout located further away from student living spaces with advanced structural equipment enclosures and backup generator protocols, the facility is engineered to fully contain operational sound and prevent campus disruptions.
How will the project mitigate sound impacts?
Comprehensive noise mitigation will be engineered into the initial design phase of the project and will align with industry best practices. Key sound-dampening measures include using fully encased mechanical units and optimizing rooftop placement to contain operational sound. Back-up generators will only run during active power outages or for brief, mandatory periodic testing.
What are the environmental impacts to the Bio Preserve or the Native American heritage site (NAHS):
Selecting the Lot P-37 adjacent location helps protect both the Native American Heritage Site and wildlife in the campus biological preserves. In alignment with OU's core values, the university will re-wild the Lot P-35 site to its natural state. By moving the facility site closer to the external road and re-wilding the P-35 parking lot, more internal campus land will be available for wildlife away from the external road. Enhanced parking accessibility for the bio-preserves and NAHS will be incorporated into site design.
Why is LEED certification preferred rather than strictly required?
Under Michigan Public Act 207 of 2024, guidelines allow projects to achieve green compliance through several recognized building frameworks, including LEED, BREEAM, and Energy Star®. These options ensure the engineering team can select the standard that best optimizes this specific facility's efficiency. Regardless of which official certification is ultimately chosen, OU is committed to incorporating industry-leading sustainability best practices into every phase of the design and long-term operation.
How does the project align with the University's sustainability and carbon reduction goals?
The project is designed to support OU's campus-wide sustainability and carbon reduction targets. As part of the ongoing planning process, the university is exploring the potential to capture and redirect operational waste heat to assist the campus central heating plant, an initiative that could help lower the university's carbon footprint and reduce reliance on natural gas if proven viable. As part of the ongoing due diligence phase, OU is evaluating a range of high-efficiency systems and advanced energy management technologies to ensure the final facility aligns with our long-term institutional goals.
ELECTRICAL
Will additional electrical grid infrastructure be required, and what is the potential community impact?
No new power generation infrastructure will be required because the project draws entirely from existing, unutilized capacity at the on-campus DTE substation. At an estimated 20-26MW, this load represents a small fraction, about 0.16%, of the power DTE provides for larger technology facilities across Michigan. During the feasibility phase, DTE formally evaluated OU’s data infrastructure project and confirmed the grid has ample capacity to support the facility without impacting local residential service or reliability. To further safeguard the community, DTE is incorporating infrastructure reliability programs, including renewable energy expansion, advanced energy storage, and commercial demand-response initiatives.
Will local consumer electricity rates increase due to the facility’s energy consumption?
No, multiple regulatory and legislative protections are in place to ensure that local consumer rates are not impacted by this project. DTE has announced a pause to electric rate requests for at least two years for projects similar to this. Related, Michigan’s Public Act 207, 2024 is intended to prevent consumer rate increases.
FINANCIAL/OPERATIONAL
Will OU have to pay for facilities maintenance for this project?
No. Under the Public-Private Partnership (P3) structure, Fairmount Properties is fully responsible for all ongoing building maintenance and resolving any operational issues that arise. This ensures that daily upkeep and future upgrades require zero draw from university finances. This framework provides a major financial advantage over past campus infrastructure projects, such as the recent high-temperature hot water (HTHW) repairs, which required direct university funding. Moving forward, OU's operational role will be strictly collaborative, partnering with Fairmount to manage technical campus connections as well as strategic industry partnerships for the facility.
What about any issues that might occur between OU and the computing facility?
Fairmount Properties is solely responsible for the facility's infrastructure, meaning they handle all maintenance and repairs for internal systems. However, for critical systems that interface directly with the university, a shared management framework is in place. OU and Fairmount will work hand-in-hand to monitor and support campus network connections, as well as the specialized technical links required for waste-heat offtake, ensuring any intersecting operational issues are resolved quickly and collaboratively.
How will revenue from the Data Infrastructure Project be used?
Revenue generated from this project will be reinvested directly back into Oakland University to strengthen campus operations and core institutional initiatives.
Why doesn’t OU update existing infrastructure on its own?
Doing it alone to get the 1MW modern computing power we need would cost between $30 million and $40 million and take four to five years to complete. Going that route means the university would have to pay for everything upfront, take on all the risks if something goes wrong, and cover all future repair and upkeep costs. Plus, building it by ourselves means we miss out on bringing in revenue from industry partnerships, hands-on student internships, and advanced faculty research.
What is the decommissioning plan for the facility?
The facility is designed to adapt as technology and campus needs change. At the end of the lease term, OU will evaluate long-term options like lease renewal, infrastructure modernization, or repurposing the building. A definitive plan will be decided closer to that time based on future conditions and university priorities.
INDUSTRY PARTNERS
How much of the new facility will be allocated to OU compared to industry partners?
OU’s academic and research requirements take absolute priority over any partner subleases. While approximately 90% of the facility's computing power is expected to be available for lease to industry partners to financially support the project's zero-capital-cost model, OU is guaranteed a dedicated, standalone High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure and space. A comprehensive technical audit is underway to ensure our faculty and student needs are fully understood and included in the engineering designs. Once operational, these university resources will be governed by Academic Affairs and University Technology Services, ensuring student learning, institutional research and data security are prioritized.
How will external industry partners be selected, and how will OU maintain oversight?
To ensure alignment with the university’s mission, the first companies approached to lease space will be selected from a list of over three dozen potential partners identified by faculty during initial research scoping interviews. To protect the university's long-term interests, OU retains full approval rights over every industry tenant. Furthermore, external partners must enter into formal affiliation agreements with the university before occupying any space.
FAIRMOUNT PROPERTIES
Why was Fairmount chosen as the partner to build this?
Fairmount Properties was selected because they have experience in managing complex public-private partnerships that support the financial and institutional goals of higher education partners and their local communities. Crucially, Fairmount brings a proven history of successful university collaborations, including specific experience with university data infrastructure projects, making them uniquely qualified to deliver this specialized facility.
What are the financial costs and revenue-sharing terms between OU and Fairmount Properties?
As OU's P3 partner, Fairmount Properties will entirely finance, design, build, operate, and maintain the facility, eliminating direct up-front development costs for the university. Lease revenues will create new, ongoing institutional income for OU. In terms of academic alignment, OU retains strict tenant approval rights. All industry partners are selected based on how well they align with OU’s academic, research, and student internship priorities, which is formalized through an official affiliation agreement.
What taxes will be paid by Fairmount Properties, it’s contractors and industry partners?
All parties will comply with applicable municipal, state and federal tax laws.
How many long-term jobs will be created from the data infrastructure project?
At least 30 full-time jobs will be created, with compensation at 150% of the local median wage in alignment with Michigan Public Act 207, 2024.
STUDENTS
How many student internships will be created and will they be dedicated to OU students?
OU will seek industry partners willing to provide student internships specifically to OU students. The number of internships will be determined as industry partnerships are secured.
How can students get involved?
- OU Student Congress (OUSC): Students may request to speak during the “Comments from the Gallery” portion of the OUSC meeting agenda. Requests should be submitted directly to OUSC leadership at [email protected] in advance of the meeting.
- University Senate Committees: Students may also bring forward topics through either of the following committees:
- Senate Planning Review Committee (SPRC)
- Senate Campus Development and Environmental Committee (CDEC)
Students can participate in University Senate by:
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- Contacting their committee representative, or reaching out directly to the committee chair or co‑chair to request that an item be placed on an upcoming meeting agenda. Committee contact information is available at: https://www.oakland.edu/senate/committeemembers/
- If preferred, students may submit their input or question in writing via email. Items submitted in writing will still be discussed at the meeting, even if the student is unable to attend in person.
Email us at [email protected].
We welcome feedback from students, faculty, and staff.. Your feedback is valuable and will help guide decision‑making throughout the project.
Colocation Data Center: A small to large shared facility with one or more businesses renting server space, power and/or cooling. A cost-effective alternative to building separate facilities.
DC: Data Center
Due Diligence: This is the "Should we do this?" phase. It’s a deep-dive assessment of the project entailing evaluation of site conditions and environmental impact studies.
Edge Data Center: Smaller facilities located in close proximity to the people and devices they serve to reduce delays by processing near the source. They are often deployed in micro or modular formats.
Enterprise Data Center: Small to medium sized data centers owned and operated by a single organization for its own internal use. Typically located on-site or at a dedicated off-site facility.
Feasibility Study: This is the "Can we do this?" phase to determine if it is possible. It’s a high-level look at whether a specific plot of land or building is suitable and covers:
- Availability of power from the local utility
- Fiber optic connectivity and
- Financial feasibility.
Financial Due Diligence: Verifying tax incentives, power costs, and long-term ROI.
Gigawatt (GW) (1,000 Megawatts): Is a unit of power equal to one billion watts, 1,000 megawatts, or 1 million kilowatts. It is used to measure the capacity of large power plants, regional grids, and massive energy consumption.
Hyperscale Data Center: Massive facilities owned by large technology corporations like Google, Amazon, or Microsoft. They are built to power global cloud, AI and big data with thousands of servers.
Kilowatt (kW) (1,000 watts): Is a unit of power equal to one thousand watts and is the base unit for measuring the power draw of a single server rack.
Megawatt (MW) (1,000 kilowatts): Is a unit of power equal to one million watts or 1,000 kilowatts, typically used to measure electricity generation capacity and large-scale consumption.
Technical Due Diligence: Checking soil stability, flood plains, and structural integrity.
Watt: The basic unit of power in the International System of Units (SI), representing the rate at which energy is used or produced. One watt is equal to one joule per second and is commonly used to measure the electrical power of devices such as light bulbs and appliances.
