AFTER ACTIONS and LESSONS LEARNED
ASSET MANAGEMENT
BUILDING MGMT SYSTEM (BMS)
This zone provides a comprehensive process designed to conduct immediate after-action reviews through cross-functional discussions, evaluating the performance of planning, scheduling, executing, construction, testing, and turnover activities. The primary goal of this zone is for field operations, the construction manager, and their teams to categorize and record various topics into the after actions tool. This includes areas such as safety, construction delivery, design coordination, quality, communication, resource allocation, asset management, and security. Documentation of each topic consists of detailed lessons, sequences of events, and key players for effective tracking.
The asset management zone looks to ensure a comprehensive solution designed to streamline and systematize equipment management and onboarding for new datacenter projects. This zone ensures efficient coordination with Design Engineering, Sourcing, Equipment, and Facilities Engineering Teams to develop a detailed equipment list template. This includes assigning part numbers, designating new assets, engaging with vendors, and creating procurement logs. Additionally, the zone identifies first-of-kind (FoK) equipment and ensures proper documentation and asset tagging. Through coordinated training sessions, this zone drastically improves clarity and compliance among contractors and trade partners.
The BMS zone prepares and verifies the programmable logic controller (PLC) server for the integrated system testing (IST) phase. Here, your team will assign specific tasks to the Engineering Controls and Monitoring Infrastructure (CMI) Team, ensure the setup and validation of control system workstations, verify reliable power supplies with UPS, and check configuration of DCIM and BAM systems. It also includes checking user accounts and access levels, setting up proper alert configurations, and addressing operational and maintenance concerns for IT systems. The goal of the BMS zone is to ensure a seamless transition from construction to production environments with all system and user permissions properly configured and operational and ensuring that the site is fully prepared for the IST phase.
COMMISSIONING
COMMUNICATION
CONTRACT REVIEW
This zone represents a comprehensive approach to ensure a seamless and successful datacenter turnover. It coordinates the review and feedback of Level 4 and 5 scripts with cross-functional partners, ensuring alignment with standard operating procedures and proper formatting. This involves engaging various stakeholders in open review sessions to resolve issues and provide feedback, verifying first-of-kind functional performance testing scripts and coordinating calibration report reviews. Additionally, this zone addresses installation criteria for sensors and water systems, escalates construction issues, and supports incident risk mitigation, design reviews, maintenance improvements, site training, and corrective actions. It also includes factory witness testing (FWT) for equipment with both virtual and in-person participation, ensuring documentation of all steps and scheduling through a detailed project plan and FWT calendar.
This zone is the Compass Facilities approach to ensure successful installation and functionality of distributed antenna systems (DAS) and 2-way radio systems from Day One of new datacenter operations. The communication zone coordinates the physical network and pathway installations for DAS with the operations team overseeing this aspect and engineering handling cellular contracting and fiber circuits. Key stakeholders, including the connectivity team, facilities, and engineering, collaborate on DAS system designs and installations.
We built this zone upon a process to ensure the financial, operational, and logistical preparedness of new datacenter sites. This approach aligns with corporate financial standards and includes review of financial operations such as purchase order management, spend tracking, forecasting, and accruals. Key steps involve developing pre-allocation and sourcing plans, setting up procurement logs, and engaging critical service suppliers. The process requires coordination among sourcing, facility service management, and other teams to establish generator contracts and accurately forecast fuel demands. It also includes thorough contract, specification, and drawing reviews to prevent miscommunication and to manage change orders effectively. This zone emphasizes supplier onboarding, compliance with safety and operational standards, and validation of critical services, ensuring that all necessary equipment, services, and personnel are in place before the datacenter becomes operational.
CULINARY
EHS READINESS
FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY
The culinary zone in a critical facility building is a pivotal area dedicated to ensuring the highest levels of safety, hygiene, and quality in culinary operations. It meticulously oversees regulatory compliance, implements stringent standard operating procedures, and maintains impeccable standards of cleanliness and equipment maintenance. Staff undergo rigorous training; emergency preparedness protocols are in place; and quality assurance measures are enforced to uphold product integrity. Feedback mechanisms and audits prioritize continuous improvement. By fostering a culture of excellence and diligence, the zone not only safeguards the well-being of personnel but upholds the reputation and integrity of the culinary operations within the facility.
The EHS readiness zone ensures environmental health and safety (EHS) preparedness and compliance for new datacenter sites before turnover. A pre-turnover report outlines EHS readiness and uses an EHS new build plan and various checklists to track progress. Key tasks include executing all pre-turnover items, getting plan approval from the critical operations manager, and updating the services for site alerts. This coordinated effort ensures that all EHS requirements are met before the datacenter becomes operational with ongoing support and integration of alerting systems to maintain site safety and readiness.
The fire and life safety zone is a Compass Facilities approach to ensuring that all fire life safety (FLS) equipment at new datacenter sites is properly labeled and validated through site inspections. This includes various safety systems with a clear map for the fire riser room. The process involves collaboration with key stakeholders to review and align regarding FLS equipment specifications, establishing and maintaining fire alarm commissioning methods of procedure (CMOPs), and documenting these procedures for future reference. We hold regular meetings to discuss standard operating procedures, commissioning scripts, and testing activities, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. We distribute a detailed playbook that outlines the FLS system operations, roles, milestones, and expectations to the field operations team and relevant personnel to foster a comprehensive understanding and effective knowledge sharing across the new datacenter region.
RED CON (READINESS
CONFIRMATION)
HIRING
INSPECTIONS
This zone is a critical and phased program that ensures that your field operations team has dedicated time between substantial completion and the facility’s becoming fully operational. During this period, team members familiarize themselves with equipment, conduct testing, receive training, and complete essential tasks. This phase is crucial for validating construction activities and confirming readiness for Day One operations.
The hiring zone looks to ensure a seamless transition and readiness of new datacenter sites through extensive collaboration among various stakeholders, including startup and readiness, senior field operations leadership, the industry recruiting team, and the internal mobility team. You will identify your organization’s key stakeholders early, and they will align with your company’s infrastructure goals and processes. We shall build your Day One operations team early, and they will be ready to hit the ground running.
Our inspections zone aims to ensure comprehensive preparation and validation of equipment and systems before commissioning and operational handover in new datacenter projects. This involves replacing temporary labels with permanent arc flash labels, collecting and reviewing field input and test reports, and aligning equipment quantities and procurement. We conduct multiple inspections including invasive and non-invasive checks to ensure proper installation and operation of critical systems. Coordination among stakeholders such as construction managers, commissioning agents, and facility operations teams is crucial for successful execution.
ISSUE REVIEW
MISCELLANEOUS
PARTS AND SPARES
This zone uses the temporary instructions (TIs) process to ensure compliance at applicable sites by addressing unexpected conditions or design shortfalls during operations. TIs modify operations and may remain in place for extended periods. We use construction software to document commissioning inspections and asset data, requiring training for the construction team. The closeout process involves aligning the facility operations team on issue resolution, identifying and closing “ready to inspect” items, and ensuring the facilities manager’s timely decision making. Timely resolution is crucial for capacity delivery, and Engineering schedules monthly meetings with stakeholders to decide upon items needing immediate resolution for safe occupancy and operation. The goal is to avoid Day Two retrofits through early input and coordination.
The miscellaneous zone is a completely customizable zone. Every building and project will have key aspects and deliverables that will be of top priority. This zone allows for the prioritization of these aspects within Compass tooling and processing for precise tracking to closure with all other aspects of the project for Day One operations.
The parts and spares zone focuses upon creating a standard vendor-managed inventory item (VMI) list for new sites, ensuring standardization and localization of all necessary tools and consumables for Day One readiness. This zone, with support from specialists, oversees the evaluation of safety and environmental tools. A risk-based spares tailoring approach addresses inconsistencies in determining critical spare parts across sites, optimizing inventory and enhancing equipment availability. The goal is to ensure a standardized and efficient inventory management strategy.
PROCEDURES
RETROFITS
TRAINING
The procedures zone aims to establish and implement a comprehensive maintenance index tailoring and vendor-managed inventory (VMI) strategy for a new site. This involves several key activities including holding kickoff meetings, assigning preventive maintenance strategies, and developing maintenance procedures for new assets. The process requires detailed coordination with various teams to build out maintenance procedures within the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) and ensure proper training on its use. Critical steps include identifying and tailoring maintenance procedures for specific equipment, conducting procedure walkdowns for accuracy, and ensuring that stakeholders review and approve all procedures, verifying that they meet established standards. The initiative also involves integrating global programs and processes, aligning schedules with site turnover dates, and establishing local workflows to meet program deliverables.
This zone involves the project manager and the retrofits team in initiating the retrofits onboarding process. Key facilities operations personnel will evaluate and select options for mechanical, electrical, and controls contractors, typically for single-discipline projects that do not require a general contractor. For larger retrofits, the project manager will determine the forecasted annual spend and collaborate with the cost management and control teams to enter sustaining purchase orders, working closely with lifecycle management and cost control teams.
The training zone will focus upon ensuring comprehensive training and readiness for the facility operations team before the substantial completion of construction. This involves key stakeholders, scheduling a kickoff meeting to align training specifics, and engaging actively with the general contractor (GC) to coordinate and verify training requirements. The team also develops and maintains a site-specific qualification page for training new employees, ensuring that all employees complete equipment training before substantial construction completion.
TURNOVER AUDIT
TURNOVER PREP
UTILITIES
The overarching goal of the turnover audit zone is to ensure training of site-specific cross-functional partners and their alignment on the turnover documentation process to facilitate smooth construction closeout and turnover. This involves initial meetings to introduce the document turnover program, scheduling kickoff meetings to align on training requirements, and conducting a series of reviews to finalize the closeout log. Additionally, the analyst ensures the creation of the campus-specific document repository.
The turnover prep zone will collaboratively develop and review the final phased turnover plan, defining action items and responsibilities. We shall adjust the plan based upon lessons we learn during execution. We shall schedule regular meetings to ensure completion of the handover checklist as well as documentation and addressing of open issues. We shall publish reports to communicate turnover status and progress, ensuring a thorough handover process and mitigation of all operational issues.
This zone includes an internal meeting between the energy program manager and the electrical subject matter experts (eSMEs) to review the contract details and understand the expectations from the utility. The eSMEs will also review the “Utility Coordination” for additional guidance in establishing important utility facility operations and response. This zone will establish a formal communication standard for utility outage responses and operations.