Energy-efficient Digital Signage at BOKU University

The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), treats sustainability as a guiding principle rather than just a concept. As a leading life sciences university, BOKU integrates environmental responsibility into its research, teaching, and campus operations. When the university sought a digital signage solution for its lecture and meeting rooms, it was clear that traditional displays wouldn’t align with its commitment to energy efficiency and modern design.

That’s where Visionect’s Place & Play e-paper displays came in.

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The challenge: Clear communication across campus

Universities are dynamic spaces with thousands of students, faculty, and visitors navigating daily schedules of lectures, seminars, and events. Keeping information clear, accurate, and always up to date is no small feat.

Before adopting Visionect, BOKU explored various ways to display room schedules and event information, but conventional digital signage technologies came with two major drawbacks:

• High energy consumption. Large screens running all day didn’t match the university’s sustainability ethos.
• Complex maintenance. Fragmented systems and manual updates slowed efficiency.

For an institution that prioritizes both environmental responsibility and operational excellence, the mismatch was obvious.

The solution: Low-power e-paper displays

BOKU chose Visionect’s 13” Place & Play displays for their energy efficiency, award-winning design, and plug-and-play simplicity. Installed in front of lecture halls, seminar rooms, and meeting spaces, the displays now provide:

• Real-time schedules of courses and events
• Mount-anywhere flexibility with a cable-free design that avoids wall damage
• Centralized management—BOKU integrates its own campus management and custom-built CMS, while other institutions can easily rely on Visionect’s Place & Play CMS
• Unmatched energy efficiency with e-paper technology

For students and faculty, the displays reduce confusion about where classes are being held, save time otherwise spent searching for rooms, and contribute to a more streamlined campus experience. As the university describes it:

“Green and efficient, fits perfectly into our needs.” — Franz Esberger, Head of Central Systems. 

Technical setup: Designed for seamless integration

The deployment at BOKU was as straightforward as it was impactful:

• Mounting. Each Place & Play device is VESA wall-mounted, blending seamlessly into hallways and doorways without bulky frames or intrusive wiring.
• Connectivity. Powered by Power over Ethernet (PoE) and connected via Ethernet, the displays avoid messy cables or constant battery replacements.
• Content Management. BOKU integrates its existing campus management system with a self-developed application built in Symfony/PHP. This demonstrates one of Visionect’s strengths: Place & Play devices are designed to work with Visionect’s own CMS or integrate smoothly with third-party and custom systems.

Why e-paper? Sustainability at the core

For BOKU, the decision to use e-paper wasn’t just technical but also philosophical. As a university dedicated to life sciences, choosing an energy-efficient display technology was a natural fit. Unlike LCD or LED screens, e-paper consumes power only when content changes. A 32-inch E-Paper screen uses less than one watt of power in a whole day. Compare that to a similar LED display, which can burn through 50–200 watts every hour. Run the screen 24/7 and the difference adds up fast.

For a university rolling out signage across dozens of rooms and buildings, the savings not only help their budget but also the planet.

Looking ahead: Expanding the partnership

With new buildings under construction and existing facilities being renovated, BOKU plans to roll out more Place & Play devices across campus. The vision is clear: a future where communication is efficient and elegant while aligning with the university’s environmental values.

With Place & Play’s flexible compatibility with multiple CMS options, BOKU can be confident that its signage system will scale as campus needs evolve, whether using Visionect’s CMS or integrating with their own.

A model for modern campuses

BOKU’s adoption of Visionect’s Place & Play demonstrates how higher education can balance technology, sustainability, and design. With e-paper displays that are power-efficient, centrally managed, and beautifully integrated into architecture, the university has created a communication system that’s as intelligent as it is environmentally responsible.

Green. Efficient. Seamlessly integrated. That’s the Visionect difference and shows why Place & Play screens perfectly support BOKU University’s signage goals.

Ready to modernize your own communication? Get in touch with the Visionect team today.

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