Urban Digital Solutions
Bridging the Physical and Virtual Worlds

Traditional pre-construction considerations include water and electricity, while the underappreciated mission critical utility of technology frequently remains an afterthought. Urban Digital Solutions (UDS) is paving a new path to the way physical construction projects are being planned by making the integration of technology seamless with the architect’s vision and the needs and goals of the end client occupant/user.

UDS has partnered with Cisco on the frontline, making technology a forethought in physical construction. By working together with architects and engineers from design conception, UDS has created goal driven solutions that exceed client expectation all while working intimately with the construction companies that are tasked with delivering the turnkey building product.

The ability of UDS to apply cutting edge technology into the planning and execution of physical construction, stems from the background of the company’s co-founders. Anthony Pisano, President and CEO of UDS, explains, “Our background sets us apart when it comes to planning and design perspective that few, if any, Managed Service Providers can bring to the table. My background is rooted in Architectural Design and project management. The firm’s other principal, Jonathan Stallone, is a network architect with heavy roots in physical construction for over 20 years.” This combination allows UDS to provide a bridge between the technology and construction worlds that few others can offer.

One of UDS’s specialized service offerings is virtual building management and network infrastructure. Not only can they provide pre-construction planning and IT department liaison solutions, but also work with existing architecture to bring a building’s outdated technology needs up to the required level. Building intelligence and automation integrated with the building management system. All of these mission critical systems utilize Cisco networking foundations. This allows for efficient automation of building processes, such as BMS with lighting and/or climate control, access control, and video surveillance all over a custom designed IP network.

UDS provides a bridge between the IT and construction worlds that few others can offer

The UDS virtual building management solutions utilize IP video and access control throughout an organization’s properties allowing for the unification of security and remote operation. As an example, if a building has a maintenance issue, but the property manager is at another site, he can allow a subcontractor to enter the building by granting access remotely, all while maintaining full building security.

UDS is constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to creative and innovative solutions. A prime example of a unique solution was during the restoration of the Woolworth building in New York City. UDS needed to ensure that the masons on the scaffolds during construction had constant communication with the ground. At the time of the project, cellular coverage was not good above a certain floor of tall buildings. UDS approached Cisco and presented their idea, which was to deploy wireless all around the exterior of the building vertically from the first floor. Cisco had stated they were excited about this out of the box idea and confirmed that this theory was sound, as they were unaware of anyone ever trying to execute this.

The solution exceeded all expectations. UDS facilitated the completion of the project ahead of schedule and under budget. Since the concept was so successful, Cisco funded a case study of the creative solution to the project.

UDS has been widely recognized for their ground-breaking and innovative services. With a global presence, UDS works with clients of all shapes and sizes. The future will see the company focusing on enhancing their virtual property management offering and the concept of the living building. As Pisano says, “Being able to combine all of our passions into a successful solution offering turns what should be work into fun for our entire team.”