Step
Data center program and critical infrastructure review
We start with the owner's critical infrastructure program: power density targets, Tier classification and redundancy requirements, cooling approach, raised floor specification, network and fiber pathway requirements, physical security standards, and IT installation schedule. For Las Colinas corporate campus users, that program is often defined by the company's existing global data center standards — which we review with the IT and facilities teams before design begins to ensure the local building design meets those standards.
Step
Site and structural planning for power and cooling
Data center structural planning in Irving addresses both the standard commercial foundation requirements and the heavy equipment loads unique to data center occupancies: UPS battery systems, generator sets, cooling plant equipment, and raised floor live loads from high-density server racks. Foundation engineering on Blackland Prairie clay is coordinated against those loads before structural design is committed. Generator exhaust routing, cooling tower placement, and utility entry pathways are confirmed before the shell design is finalized.
Step
Shell and critical MEP delivery
Shell delivery for data center occupancy is coordinated around critical MEP installation sequencing. Conduit and cable tray pathways are installed before the building is enclosed so infrastructure routing does not require saw-cutting finished slab. Generator fuel systems and cooling plant equipment are staged for installation as the structural shell progresses. Building envelope vapor barrier systems appropriate for the Dallas County climate — which combines summer humidity with occasional winter freeze events — are specified and inspected before the interior MEP installation is complete.
Step
Systems testing and commissioning
Data center commissioning in Irving includes load bank testing of generator systems, integrated power systems testing under simulated load, cooling plant performance verification at design conditions, fire suppression system testing, and physical security system commissioning. We coordinate that commissioning program with the owner's commissioning agent and IT team to produce a documented systems acceptance before IT infrastructure installation begins. For Las Colinas corporate campus data centers, commissioning documentation is often required to meet the company's internal IT security and compliance standards.
Step
IT infrastructure transition and occupancy
IT infrastructure transition is coordinated with the owner's IT team and equipment vendors. We ensure City of Irving certificate of occupancy is obtained, all critical systems are commissioned and documented, and the building operations team has been trained on critical MEP systems before the first server rack arrives. For corporate campus data centers with mission-critical applications, that transition coordination is as important as the construction delivery.
