December 10, 2024
By Daniel J. Sterchak, President
From simulator rooms to KVM technology, discover the latest Control Center design trends to enhance your mission-critical facilities.
Control Centers are ever-evolving, and the 2024 Control Center Design trends we are seeing incorporate new technologies and cater to a broader workforce at a higher rate than at any point in the previous decades. Preparing mission-critical facilities for these changes has sped up the new-build and renovation cycles and made careful, considered facility planning of paramount importance. Looking back, here are the major 2024 Control Center Design trends that our team of specialized Architects and Engineers has highlighted over the course of our numerous projects:
TREND #1: FOCUS ON TRAINING & SIMULATOR ROOMS
Topping the list of 2024 Control Center Design trends is a dedicated space for actual simulation training. In fact, one of our utility clients recently told us it was the #1 request from its Control Room operators. Operators today are monitoring more systems and data points with greater criticality than ever before. This, coupled with a new pool of operators entering the workforce, makes training a top priority. Whether you are considering a Control Room renovation or a greenfield project, dedicated spaces for individual study, classroom settings for group training, and simulator rooms that provide 1:1 experience with the real Control Room environment have been hallmarks of many projects in 2024.
TREND #2: PRIORITIZING MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
Investing in a new LED Control Room video wall for situational awareness or additional equipment at the console can greatly benefit operators. However, those components bring greater heat and electrical loads into Control Rooms that may already be at capacity for the MEP systems serving the area. A project must address all components simultaneously. That is where Lamb’s Mechanical and Electrical Engineers bring so much value to a project and complement our custom technology design.
TREND #3: PEER UTILITY BENCHMARKING
The best way to pick up momentum for your Control Room Renovation project is by conducting an analysis of your facility vs. industry peers. This evaluation must go beyond the Control Room layout and technology selection. To provide value to key decision makers, it must include a site analysis, multi-level security threat assessment, MEP system health check, and focus on future expandability. With this type of holistic analysis and benchmarking in hand, the future of your Control Center upgrades can be charted and built into your long-term budget.
TREND #4: INCORPORATING ADVANCED SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TOOLS
In a recent conversation with a technology integrator, I referenced that the frequency of clients asking for KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) systems for their operators has greatly increased this past year. Providing operators with a customizable canvas at their workstation, while minimizing equipment, cords, and clutter on their desktop, can greatly improve the speed and accuracy of decision making. We’ve had the pleasure of bringing many utility clients through our Demonstration Room, which features three different processing and KVM solutions to help educate operators on the available technology and the benefits of its feature set.
LOOKING BEYOND 2024 CONTROL CENTER DESIGN TRENDS
As our specialized Architects and Engineers look forward to 2025, we see an easing of market factors, such as inflation and long lead times for equipment, as well as increased demand on our utility clients. Incorporation of DERS/DERMS, the continuing evolution of the operator workforce, and the sometimes-complicated budgeting environment only serve to underline the importance of a strategic partner that brings complete facility solutions to the table.
About Daniel Sterchak
Since joining Lamb in 2005, Dan has been directly involved with a wide array of projects, including master planning studies, production enhancements, building expansions, utility analyses, training centers, office renovations, and more.
Dan’s role as President and Project Director for Industrial and High-Reliability Utility projects start with the initial project assessment. His diverse project background and experience bring an outside-the-box approach and an eye for practical problem solving. He lead’s Lamb’s teams through the Planning and Design phases of a project, and works closely with our Construction group to ensure on-time and on-budget delivery of the client’s vision.
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