Project Profile: Butler University Esports Park
This project focused on a multi-use space at Butler University that provides a hub for the tech community with esports, gaming PC's, event spaces and more.
Engineering firm: HEAPY
2023 MEP Giants rank: 49
Project: Butler University Esports Park
Location: Indianapolis, IN, United States
Building type: Educational facility; sports/entertainment/convention center facility
Project type: Existing building retrofit
Engineering services: Automation, controls; electrical, power; fire, life safety; HVAC, mechanical; lighting; plumbing, piping
Project timeline: December 2019 to October 2022
MEP/FP engineering budget: $109,780

Along with Populous, HEAPY provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing and technology design services for the new Butler University Esports Park, a project to buildout a multi-use space housed in Butler’s Sunset Avenue parking garage. The venue provides a hub for the tech community while expanding Butler’s growing presence in esports, featuring high-performance gaming PC’s and consoles, event and coworking spaces, a cafe, office areas for partner organizations, and a studio and production room. Source: Zach Dobson Photography
Challenges
Challenge 1: Project had an aggressive schedule and a hard open date due to university class schedules and a gaming competition already scheduled for the space.
Challenge 2: Lighting and A/V controls had an extremely high level of integration and interoperability, while still necessitating ease of operations for end users.
Challenge 3: The existing facility had tight space constraints for HVAC/lighting/technology systems.

Along with Populous, HEAPY provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing and technology design services for the new Butler University Esports Park, a project to buildout a multi-use space housed in Butler’s Sunset Avenue parking garage. The venue provides a hub for the tech community while expanding Butler’s growing presence in esports, featuring high-performance gaming PC’s and consoles, event and coworking spaces, a cafe, office areas for partner organizations, and a studio and production room. Source: Zach Dobson Photography
Solutions
Solution 1: Our team served as the local primary point of contact to provide close collaboration with vendors, team members, and client representatives. We worked cross-functionally with a diverse team spread across a large geographic area, which allowed the university to host the grand opening on schedule as well as their inaugural competition event in the space.
Solutions 2: Our team coordinated lighting controls with the A/V technology to create a highly interactive space. We served as the “go between” for the client and the primary A/V vendor, ensuring that all equipment and supplies met the owner’s project requirements, and were delivered on time and seamlessly integrated into the construction schedule.
Solution 3: Our team leveraged advanced 3D modeling and clash detection resources to ensure that all MEP and technology systems were closely coordinated between disciplines, as well as met the university’s high standards for efficiency and performance. This also required coordination with the architect and interior design team to ensure that building infrastructure was designed to enhance and support the visual aesthetics of the space. On the competition floor, careful consideration was given to ensure that every participant has the exact same experience in terms of performance and connectivity (e.g., cable length), as required by current eSports design and competition standards.

Technology design included new data network, A/V systems, central processing server, and security systems, including access control and video surveillance. The central server connects to each computer via the cloud for centralized processing, eliminating the need for high-performance computers at each station. Source: Zach Dobson Photography

On the competition floor, careful consideration was given to ensure that every participant has the exact same experience in terms of performance and connectivity (e.g., cable length), as required by current eSports design and competition standards. Source: Zach Dobson Photography

Butler University Esports Park has capabilities to host an esports competition with entire broadcasting capabilities and space for a viewing audience. Source: Zach Dobson Photography
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