Though many considerations go into the design and implementation of a mission critical facility, few are more important than the physical construction. Mission critical facility construction has to be reliable, secure, and safe for the valuable equipment and data stored within, and so it is generally much more difficult than the construction of a standard office or business. Even if you plan to have your mission critical facility at the same location as other parts of your business, you may want to hire additional or different contractors just to make sure your mission critical facility construction is the very best that it can be.
Use premium building materials
Just as you wouldn’t outfit your mission critical facility with a computer cobbled together from spare parts or power it with a second hand generator, likewise you should not skimp on the materials you use in constructing your mission critical facility. Make sure the material you use for the facility is appropriate for the area. For example, brick is an excellent insulator and can help keep computer equipment at a stable temperature in places where the external temperature fluctuates wildly. However, it can easily become damaged in places where earthquakes or similar natural phenomena are common.
Additionally, make sure the internal materials of your mission critical facility are of high quality as well. Use good quality wiring and insulation and both will be less likely to cause you problems later on. When choosing heating and cooling units, as well as computer equipment, opt for electronics whenever possible. While there are cases where second tier or off brand electronic equipment can work just as well as their premium counterparts in mission critical facility construction, it is not a chance you want to take when the safety and operation of your entire facility is on the line.
Hire an experienced contractor
You probably wouldn’t hire a contractor who only has experience working on residential buildings to design and construct your office building, and it is doubtful that you would get a contractor who specializes in working on restaurants to work on your grocery store. Similarly, it is very important to find a contractor or construction company that specializes in mission critical facility construction to work on this very important part of your operation.
You may or may not be surprised to find out that mission critical facility construction is a growing business. A number of recent seminars have been held to discuss construction techniques that maximize safety and efficiency. There are special certifications that contracting and construction companies can get if they elect to specialize in mission critical facilities. It is very important to do your research before deciding on a contractor. See what other facilities the company has worked on and whether former clients are satisfied with their work. Many companies will have a list of references that you can call and find out what other customers’ experiences were like.
Conclusion
The success of a mission critical facility starts from the ground up. Making good decisions in the early construction stages of the facility will often make the day to day operations run much more easily and smoothly later on.
