{"692112":{"#nid":"692112","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Startup Technology Helps Protect Historic Campus Buildings  ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaintaining campus buildings often means identifying problems before they become visible. Georgia Tech\u2019s Planning, Design, and Construction department is piloting an innovative building envelope assessment at Lyman Hall that uses drone-mounted infrared technology to detect hidden moisture intrusion and potential building performance issues. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study is being conducted with Copeland Building Envelope Consulting serving as the engineering consultant and Lamarr.ai, a Georgia Tech-affiliated startup, providing the technology, which was originally developed through research in the College of Design.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing drones equipped with thermal imaging sensors, the team can safely and efficiently scan building exteriors to identify areas where moisture may be entering walls, roofs, and other building systems. The technology provides campus architects, project managers, and facilities teams with valuable data to help target repairs early, potentially reducing future maintenance costs and extending the life of campus buildings.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This started because of a leak in Lyman, and there were patches to temporarily address the problem. When a similar problem occurred in the J.S Coon Building, there was a wider conversation about addressing leaks and flooding in these older buildings,\u0022 said Planning, Design, and Construction architect Bill Oswell.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAmong the project partners is Arjun Bir, a 2018 Georgia Tech civil engineering alumnus. Bir graduated with highest honors and has since earned numerous accolades, including the MIT Water Innovation Prize, Georgia Tech\u0027s Dean\u0027s Impact Award, and recognition as a member of Georgia Tech\u0027s 40 Under 40. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis project was especially meaningful because it was my first project on Georgia Tech\u0027s campus,\u201d Bir said. \u201cWorking on the buildings that helped shape my own career was incredibly rewarding.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince starting at Copeland\u0027s Atlanta office in 2025, Bir has supported partnerships with other institutions including Emory University, Kennesaw State University, Atlanta Public Schools, and Cobb County Schools.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Lyman Hall assessment is also significant for Lamarr.ai, marking the startup\u0027s first project on Georgia Tech\u0027s campus. The company traces its roots to research and technology development conducted at Georgia Tech and demonstrates how Institute-driven innovation can create real-world solutions that benefit the campus community.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project aligns with Georgia Tech\u0027s ongoing commitment to using data-driven technologies to improve campus operations and stewardship of its facilities. Drone-based infrared scanning offers a faster, safer, and more comprehensive way to evaluate building conditions than traditional inspection methods. Facilities leaders see this approach as an important tool for the future of campus building maintenance.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Lyman Hall project highlights a Georgia Tech success story bridging alumni expertise, startup innovation, and campus operations to preserve the buildings that support teaching, learning, and research every day.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EInnovative drone-based infrared scanning at Lyman Hall showcases a new approach to building maintenance.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Innovative drone-based infrared scanning at Lyman Hall showcases a new approach to building maintenance."}],"uid":"35028","created_gmt":"2026-08-28 19:35:49","changed_gmt":"2026-09-09 22:49:37","author":"cbrim3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-08-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-08-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681090":{"id":"681090","type":"image","title":"Water Intrusion Drone device","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDrone used for Lyman Hall building envelope inspection.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1788889891","gmt_created":"2026-09-08 17:51:31","changed":"1788890003","gmt_changed":"2026-09-08 17:53:23","alt":"Image of drone used at Lyman Hall","file":{"fid":"265444","name":"image--3-.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/08\/image--3-.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/08\/image--3-.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1227472,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/08\/image--3-.png?itok=xr-_wfep"}},"681079":{"id":"681079","type":"image","title":"South Facade Lyman Hall Drone Technology","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWater intrusion on the exterior of Lyman Hall was detected with drone technology. Photo credit: Lamar.ai\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1788544231","gmt_created":"2026-09-04 17:50:31","changed":"1788548416","gmt_changed":"2026-09-04 19:00:16","alt":"Image of south facade of Lyman Hall with drone technology markings","file":{"fid":"265431","name":"Lyman_south_facade_intrusion.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/04\/Lyman_south_facade_intrusion.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/04\/Lyman_south_facade_intrusion.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2591701,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/04\/Lyman_south_facade_intrusion.png?itok=b1pt3uTw"}},"681078":{"id":"681078","type":"image","title":"Lyman Drone for Water Intrusion","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe drone device used to examine the building and detect water intrusion. Photo credit: Lamar.ai\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1788544041","gmt_created":"2026-09-04 17:47:21","changed":"1788548351","gmt_changed":"2026-09-04 18:59:11","alt":"image of drone used at Lyman Hall","file":{"fid":"265430","name":"Lyman_drone.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/04\/Lyman_drone.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/04\/Lyman_drone.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3585301,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/04\/Lyman_drone.JPG?itok=bRd8XlAU"}}},"media_ids":["681090","681079","681078"],"groups":[{"id":"383831","name":"Infrastructure and Operations"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166996","name":"lyman hall"},{"id":"193728","name":"I\u0026S News"},{"id":"177","name":"planning"},{"id":"823","name":"design"},{"id":"195052","name":"and Construction"},{"id":"194786","name":"drone technology"},{"id":"195260","name":"building envelope"},{"id":"195261","name":"water intrusion"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESean Kang\u003Cbr\u003EInfrastructure and Operations\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECathy Brim\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["skang434@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}