Commissioning Data Center Projects:

Best Practices for Ensuring

Operational Readiness
C O M M I S S I O N I N G D ATA C E N T E R P R O J E C T S : B E S T P R A C T I C E S F O R E N S U R I N G O P E R AT I O N A L R E A D I N E S S 2

The High-Stakes Challenge of

Constructing and Commissioning
Modern Data Centers
The backbone of today’s data infrastructure,
data centers are some of the most complex
projections will likely explode even further. This
projected massive data growth is translating
10,360
data centers
and challenging facilities to construct and into a growing demand for data centers, driving
worldwide
commission. New technologies, expanding development. Today, there are 10,360 data cen-
regulations, increasing systems integration, a ters worldwide, with 5,381 in the United States.2
focus on sustainability, and accelerating con-
struction schedules further raise the stakes on
McKinsey & Company projected the data center
industry will grow 10% a year through 2030, with
5,381
data centers in the US
delivering these mission-critical projects. global spending on the construction of new fa-
cilities hitting $49 billion.3
Ensuring a data center is ready to operate day
one is critical as once a building is deemed Successful construction of data centers to 10%
ready for service, there is no easy way to re- meet these growth targets will require em- estimated data
treat. Post occupancy callbacks and outages bracing technology, new methods, best prac- center growth
are extremely costly, both financially and repu- tices, and more efficient ways of tracking and per year
tationally, for everyone involved in the project. managing commissioning and quality control

In the next five years, twice as much data will be

created as all the data created over the past 10
processes. As timelines get shorter and pres-
sure to deliver builds, teams will need to think $49B
differently about how they deliver operationally estimated global
years . With the emergence of artificial intelli-
1
spending on new data
ready data centers to market on time.
gence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), data center construction
C O M M I S S I O N I N G D ATA C E N T E R P R O J E C T S : B E S T P R A C T I C E S F O R E N S U R I N G O P E R AT I O N A L R E A D I N E S S 3

First Time Right:

Ready to Operate Day One
These foundational components are vital for meeting owner
Being ready to operate on Day One hinges project requirements. Achieving operational readiness involves
on operational readiness in three key areas: thorough assessments and validations of Systems & Equipment
to ensure seamless functionality. Proper training of personnel is
crucial for efficient building operation. Lastly, meticulous collec-
Systems and Equipment
tion and verification of asset data and documentation are crucial
for a successful start and ongoing operations.
People

Asset Data and Documentation

C O M M I S S I O N I N G D ATA C E N T E R P R O J E C T S : B E S T P R A C T I C E S F O R E N S U R I N G O P E R AT I O N A L R E A D I N E S S 4

Current Solutions Fall

Short: Data Center
Commissioning Requires
Real-Time Tracking
Commissioning is a dynamic process, which makes using Mic-
rosoft Excel spreadsheets to track equipment and system prog-
ress particularly difficult. Dashboards developed in Microsoft
Excel are out of date almost the moment after a user clicks ‘save.’
On job sites, things are changing rapidly—tests are completed,
checklists are updated, issues are documented. Microsoft Excel
and other homegrown solutions struggle to keep users current
with activities in the field.

Critical details on project health are often trapped within

spreadsheets, disconnected from the project executives’ and
schedulers’ view. This exposes management teams to unfore-
seen surprises and risks, such as costly rework, project de-
lays, and penalties.

With expectations higher than ever, labor shortages and accel-

erated timelines for delivery, teams need better, more efficient
solutions to support their commissioning and quality control
C O M M I S S I O N I N G D ATA C E N T E R P R O J E C T S : B E S T P R A C T I C E S F O R E N S U R I N G O P E R AT I O N A L R E A D I N E S S 5

Automating a ASHRAE identifies stages of commissioning of data centers as levels. Facility Grid
allows further expansion of the levels defining quality control and commissioning

Familiar Process activities (see Figure 1). Each level must be fully complete before progressing to
the next one, increasing the importance of getting things right the first time and

with Facility Grid uncovering roadblocks as quickly as possible in the project lifecycle. Throughout
the build, knowing what’s done and not done at any point in time is essential to
moving through the levels in a timely manner.

Submittal Reviews
Factory Acceptance Testing PRE-CONSTRUCTION
LEVEL 0 Owner Project Requirements LEVEL 1
Design Reviews
Bench Testing COMPLETION

LEVEL 2A LEVEL 2B LEVEL 3A LEVEL 3B MECHANICAL

COMPLETION
Delivery & Installation Quality Control & Inspection Start-up & TAB Pre-Functional Testing
Verification Test Plans (ITP)

LEVEL 4A LEVEL 4B LEVEL 5 SUBSTANTIAL

Delivery & Installation Functional & Integrated Systems Testing (IST)
COMPLETION
Verification Performance Testing

O&M Training
LEVEL 6 Project Closeout FINAL COMPLETION
Warranty Period
C O M M I S S I O N I N G D ATA C E N T E R P R O J E C T S : B E S T P R A C T I C E S F O R E N S U R I N G O P E R AT I O N A L R E A D I N E S S 6

As discussed, spreadsheets and homegrown

solutions are inadequate for tracking equip-
ment and systems, especially when there are
hundreds or thousands of pieces of MEP equip-
ment and multiple projects and stakeholders. A
solution like Facility Grid creates a centralized
repository for all information, aligning with es-
tablished processes. It leverages proven meth-
ods while enhancing and automating them for
better efficiency.

Facility Grid’s Operational Readiness software

offers unparalleled transparency, enabling
project leaders to track building systems and
equipment progress, align workflows with
schedules, and capture documentation ef-
ficiently. It ensures accurate, synchronized
data, eliminates redundancy, provides re-
al-time updates, and fosters collaboration
across teams and stakeholders, ultimately
reducing rework and promoting informed de-
cision-making. This unified approach fosters
standardization and keeps everyone aligned
from design to turnover.
C O M M I S S I O N I N G D ATA C E N T E R P R O J E C T S : B E S T P R A C T I C E S F O R E N S U R I N G O P E R AT I O N A L R E A D I N E S S 7

Realizing Data Center Operational

Readiness Success with Facility Grid

Utilizing innovative technology, such as Facility Grid’s Operational Readiness soft-

ware, streamlines building system and equipment tracking, leading to improved
project outcomes and facilitating communication with all key stakeholders on
a data center project regardless of location. Its flexible design works with exist-
ing processes, there is no need to conform to preset templates or approaches.
The software offers transparency to general contractors, trade contractors,
commissioning providers, and data center owners and operators, ensuring re-
al-time visibility into the status of building assets where and when they need it.
By eliminating disconnects and improving communication and collaboration from
design to turnover, it minimizes the risk of costly rework, delays, and penalties.

Embracing technologies like Facility Grid also creates the opportunity to opti-
mize, standardize, streamline and scale through the incorporation of analytics.
Capturing data in a centralized repository allows users over time to analyze that
data and glean insights in to how to improve projects as well as identify new op-
portunities. Facility Grid offers pre-defined Power BI templates for out-of-the-box
insights as well as an Application Programming Interface (API) to directly access
data for custom analytics to meet specific project needs.
C O M M I S S I O N I N G D ATA C E N T E R P R O J E C T S : B E S T P R A C T I C E S F O R E N S U R I N G O P E R AT I O N A L R E A D I N E S S 8

I M PA C T S T O R Y

Remote, Real-Time A leading global data center developer focused on building

data centers across Africa struggled with keeping teams up

Access to Project to date during the early phases of construction and commis-
sioning as they lacked an onsite commissioning presence at

Progress that point in the project. Spreadsheets were out of date before
they arrived in inboxes and teams lacked the insight needed to
make decisions quickly and show up ready to the job site. They
turned to Facility Grid to monitor and document the progress of
their projects remotely.

With Facility Grid the team was able to keep tabs on field work
without being physically present, providing up-to-date insights
and facilitating efficient management of the commissioning
process. As the final stage of commissioning approached, the
team was well-prepared, equipped with all the necessary infor-
mation to conduct testing and document results, ensuring the
projects stayed on schedule.
C O M M I S S I O N I N G D ATA C E N T E R P R O J E C T S : B E S T P R A C T I C E S F O R E N S U R I N G O P E R AT I O N A L R E A D I N E S S 9

I M PA C T S T O R Y
One of the world’s largest colocation data center providers
Building Fast prides itself on being able to bring a data center online in
the shortest time possible. This capability is critical because
with Quality and data centers house essential infrastructure. The electrical and
mechanical equipment within these centers must function
Consistency flawlessly to ensure resiliency. Any downtime, whether due to
power loss or cooling issues, can result in significant financial
losses. The data center provider’s strength lies not only in their
rapid construction capabilities but also in their ability to thor-
oughly test and commission building equipment and systems
within this accelerated timeframe.

The data center provider ensures optimal operations during

the commissioning phase by using Facility Grid, which adapts
to their detailed workflow and phases. The software provides
specific checklists for early issue identification and meticulous
tracking of every asset and activity. Facility Grid’s real-time ana-
lytics offer insights into project performance, allowing the data
center provider to analyze data across projects, identify trends,
and allocate resources efficiently. This data-driven approach
helps address critical issues promptly and refine processes,
while a library of lessons learned prevents recurring mistakes,
enhancing project efficiency and success.
C O M M I S S I O N I N G D ATA C E N T E R P R O J E C T S : B E S T P R A C T I C E S F O R E N S U R I N G O P E R AT I O N A L R E A D I N E S S 10

Facility Grid Boosts Data Center

Build Success through Real-time
Tracking, Verification, and Reporting
of Building Systems and Equipment
Facility Grid’s Operational Readiness software offers a cost-effective solution for tracking build-
ing system and equipment, significantly reducing the risk of rework, delays and penalties. Lead-
ing data center providers use Facility Grid to streamline their operations, track progress, and
ensure the successful commissioning of their data centers. The platform’s adaptability and robust
analytics capabilities make it an invaluable tool for managing complex infrastructure projects,
allowing these companies to maintain high standards of performance and reliability in the fast-
paced world of data center construction.
Used by the world’s largest data centers, construction companies, commission-
ing providers, and building owners, Facility Grid allows users to seamlessly track,
document, and report on building systems and equipment throughout the in-
stallation, quality control, commissioning and turnover processes. By facilitating
efficient data capture and sharing in the field, Facility Grid increases the capacity
of high-value resources. Offering real-time schedule updates and stakeholder
communication, it enables teams to stay on course and streamlines turnover
documentation completion. Facility Grid provides transparency, accountability,
and visbility throughout the construction lifecycle.

Learn More

Endnotes

1 Aug 2023, IDC #US49346223, Revelations in the Global StorageSphere 2023, John Rydning

2 Centers Statista, Petroc Taylor.

Mar 2024, Leading Countries by Number of Data Centers,

3 Jan 2023, Investing in the Rising Data Center Economy,

Economy McKinsey & Company