Buist served as the Design Assist electrical partner, providing contracting, communications, testing, outdoor utilities, building automation, and industrial automation services for Michigan State University’s Dairy Cattle Teaching and Research Center. The new dairy site spans more than 196,000 sq.ft. across multiple buildings and features both robotic and traditional milking systems. The facility is powered by two independent utility feeds and dual generator connection cabinets, each supplying a 1,200-amp main service to reduce downtime.

Buist departments worked across all buildings, integrating power, controls, and communications systems for a fully automated environment. A state-of-the-art ventilation and lighting control system comprising more than 120 exhaust and circulation fans was installed to maintain optimal conditions year-round. Building F houses a specialized manure and sand separation system that utilizes recycled water and a patented process to prepare material for a methane gas digester. Buist provided both the control panel and complete electrical installation for this system.

Additionally, Buist built a custom control panel for the farm’s sub-kitchen feed mixing system to automate feed production. Our Prefabrication Department played a key role in productivity and quality control throughout construction.