Seven Phases. One Methodology. Every Scale.

Before site selection begins, the project needs a single document that defines what success looks like. Capacity requirements. Redundancy targets. Power density. Cooling approach constraints. Timeline. Budget envelope.

This phase prevents the most expensive mistake in data center development: solving the wrong problem precisely.

What we document:

• Capacity requirements (kW, rack count, density per rack)
• Redundancy and tier targets
• Power density and cooling approach constraints
• Budget envelope and funding timeline
• Regulatory and compliance requirements
• Operational model (owner-operated, leased, colocation)

Power is the first filter. Not geography, not cost-per-acre, not proximity to demand. Every site evaluation begins with utility capacity, interconnection timeline, and cost-per-MW of delivered power.

A site with available land but a 4-year utility queue is not a viable site. A site with fast interconnection but insufficient fiber density limits tenant attraction. The evaluation matrix weights these factors against the requirements document from Phase 1.

Evaluation criteria:

• Utility capacity and interconnection timeline
• Fiber connectivity (carrier diversity, latency to demand centers)
• Zoning and permitting pathway
• Environmental and geotechnical conditions
• Labor market for construction and operations
• Natural disaster exposure and insurance implications
• Tax incentives and jurisdictional considerations

What we hold back for client engagements: Proprietary weighting model and scoring thresholds that determine go/no-go decisions.

Design oversight is not design management. The architect and MEP engineer design the facility. We review every deliverable against the requirements document, flag deviations, and ensure the owner's operational intent survives the translation from specification to drawing.

The three most common design failures we catch: undersized electrical infrastructure that limits future density, cooling approaches that optimize first cost at the expense of PUE, and constructability issues that create change orders during build.

Review gates:

• Schematic Design (SD): Does the concept satisfy the requirements document?
• Design Development (DD): Are systems sized correctly? Are redundancy paths validated?
• Construction Documents (CD): Can this actually be built as drawn? Are specifications procurement-ready?

At each gate, we verify:

• Power distribution architecture and redundancy paths
• Cooling system capacity and efficiency projections
• Structural and spatial coordination (will it all fit?)
• Code compliance and AHJ requirements
• Constructability and sequencing feasibility
• Budget alignment (is the design still within the envelope?)

Preconstruction is where the project transitions from paper to commitment. GC selection, equipment procurement, and schedule baselining happen here. The decisions made in this phase determine the financial trajectory of the entire build.

Equipment lead times drive the critical path. A generator with a 40-week lead time ordered 2 weeks late pushes commissioning by 2 weeks — and every week of delayed commissioning is a week of delayed revenue.

What we manage:

• GC qualification and bid evaluation
• Equipment procurement strategy (direct-buy vs. GC-furnished)
• Lead time tracking and procurement sequencing
• Baseline schedule development with critical path analysis
• Subcontractor prequalification
• Insurance and bonding verification

Construction oversight means presence. Site visits. Submittal reviews. RFI management. Change order evaluation. Safety monitoring. The Owner's Rep is the owner's eyes on the ground — the role that ensures what gets built matches what was designed and what was paid for.

Change orders are the primary financial risk during construction. Not material cost increases. Not labor shortages. Change orders — because they compound. A $50K change order that shifts ductwork creates a $200K cascade through electrical and fire protection. We evaluate every change order against scope, schedule, and downstream impact before the owner approves.

Weekly activities:

• Site walk and progress documentation
• Submittal and shop drawing review
• RFI tracking and resolution
• Change order evaluation (scope, cost, schedule impact)
• Schedule update and critical path monitoring
• Safety and quality assurance observations
• Monthly cost reporting and budget-to-actual tracking

Commissioning is where the data center proves it can perform as designed. It is the most technically demanding phase — and the most commonly under-resourced.

A facility that passes commissioning operates as specified from Day One. A facility that skips or shortcuts commissioning discovers its failures in production — at the cost of uptime, revenue, and reputation.

Commissioning sequence:

1. Cx Plan Development — Define every system to be tested, every failure scenario to be validated, every performance threshold to be met
2. Component Testing — Individual equipment startup and verification
3. Subsystem Testing — Integrated testing within each discipline (electrical, mechanical, controls)
4. Integrated Systems Testing (IST) — Full-facility testing under simulated load conditions, including failure scenarios
5. Failure Scenario Validation — Utility loss, generator transfer, cooling failure, switchgear failure — every designed redundancy path is tested
6. Punch List Resolution — Deficiencies identified, tracked, and resolved
7. Turnover — Documentation, training, and operational handoff

The project is not complete when commissioning passes. It is complete when the operations team can run the facility independently. Turnover includes as-built documentation, operations and maintenance manuals, vendor warranty consolidation, and operator training.

Turnover deliverables:

• As-built drawings (architectural, structural, MEP, controls)
• Operations and maintenance manuals for all major systems
• Warranty documentation and vendor contact consolidation
• Spare parts inventory and recommended stock levels
• Standard operating procedures for normal and emergency operations
• Training completion records for all operational staff