DATA CENTER SITE QUALIFICATION PROGRAM

With states and regions competing for data center projects there’s good opportunities for sites best suited for attracting a data center or disaster recovery operator. Identifying good sites early on in the process is crucial for the success of a project. Our discipline is working with local utility companies to evaluate their electric infrastructure for the required capacity required to supply sufficient load for providing electricity to them. Utilities have recognized the opportunity to build load and revenue while contributing to the economic development of a region and partnering with them is critical to a successful project.
Power is the primary ingredient for a successful data center site and positions a data center provider in a lead position over less suitable sites. However, before conducting detailed assessments of sites, it is important to complete a macro-level review of a regions attributes for their capability to foster Data Center growth.
Undertaking a detailed analysis without assessing the overall market condition of an area could lead to ill-suited sites that may be desirable in terms of physical infrastructure, security and site readiness but poorly suited for meeting the market, tax policy, operating cost and incentive expectations of a data center operation. Conducting detailed assessments of the regional attributes of existing fiber lines, electric capacity and their reliability, natural or manmade disaster risks, financial incentives, etc. provide a better informed selection process.
Our team offers a multi-step approach of assessing a site for a utilities strengths and weaknesses or identifying improvements required and their cost to provide them. We follow up with a detailed analysis of a site’s physical attributes. These services are also offered collectively or independently and include the following:

Initial Review and Recommendations

• General market dynamics and attractiveness
• Availability of incentives benefiting or targeting data centers (state, local)
• State and/or Regional tax policies
• Utility tariff and service policies or incentives for high load customers
• Power availability, reliability, service characteristics, interconnection requirements and cost
• Assessment of fiber networks
• Natural disaster risks (hurricane, seismic, tornados flooding etc.)
• Labor Analysis

Site Qualification Program Details

We provide electric system reliability details, service and interconnection requirements, and the cost to provide service. We evaluate “White space” yield estimates in direct correlation with the available power including layout options
for standard density and high density data centers modeled to determine whether or not a site or building can facilitate a particular type facility including, white space yield, facility layout, ancillary equipment space layout, power and cooling requirements, business continuity strategies and system equipment types. We also provide fiber analysis and availability, maps, fiber carriers, potential fiber entries to the site, fiber path diversification, field surveys, line of sight analysis, pictures of existing conditions, State / Regional incentives and tax policy impact on the total cost of construction and operation of a Data Center.

Each site survey completed results in a multi-page report that can be compiled into a marketing summary for presentation to potential data center clients.

Financial Analysis

Our team provides a financial analysis to determine the economic impacts of a new data center project, the project cost, what incentives are available, the impact on regional and state economy, the financial impact on the local utility company, their rate payers, data center operations and we provide cost comparisons to other competing regions.

Marketing

Our Team assists in the development of marketing material targeting data center professionals. We help identify and target market to industry trade shows, end users, consultants and other data center professionals that are engaged in the site selection process and can assist with an in depth marketing strategy for success.

Technical Assistance & Training

Our team provides technical assistance to your engineering design firm, work with the local utility companies and assist in the development of new or the expansion of existing sites.