Case Study: University of Alaska, Fairbanks achieves 75% faster design review cycles with Oracle Aconex

University of Alaska speeds review cycles by 75% with Aconex

The University of Alaska Fairbanks faced a critical infrastructure challenge when cracks were discovered in the boilers of its 50‑year‑old Atkinson Heat and Power Plant, prompting an upgrade twice as large as any prior campus capital project — including a 240,000 lb/hr boiler and an extraction steam turbine to heat 3 million sq ft. Project delivery was threatened by fragmented processes (FTP sites and stand‑alone systems), heavy document volumes, manual spreadsheet reviews, and the risk of schedule and budget delays.

UAF implemented Oracle Aconex (Project Controls and Collaboration), a neutral cloud platform that centralized project files, provided an online viewer, structured RFIs, drag‑and‑drop workflows, and visibility into review status with reminders. The solution made all information trackable and reportable, reduced design review cycles by 75%, and shortened review meetings by 30–50%, saving engineering time and reducing schedule risk.

University of Alaska, Fairbanks

Michael Ruckhaus

Senior Project Manager