November 19, 2024
By James Donaghy, RA, LEED AP & William McNaney, PE
Which is the best path to a modern Control Center?
For Control Centers with specific operational needs, evaluating the decision between a brand-new, greenfield facility and a Control Room renovation can have a transformative impact. Each path offers unique advantages, but the choice should hinge on your facility’s specific needs, timeline, and budget.
What is Greenfield Development?
Greenfield development involves starting from scratch on an undeveloped site. This type of project allows for maximum flexibility in Control Center design, offering opportunities to bolster security, integrate cutting-edge technologies, and meet evolving operational needs.
Key Considerations for Greenfield Control Center Sites
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- Site Feasibility & Location: Our Control Center Architects and Engineers emphasize the importance of factors like property size, adjacent property uses, and access to public infrastructure (roads, water, sewer). Sites must accommodate programming needs and physical security requirements, including NERC-CIP compliance.
- Utility Access: A successful greenfield Control Center requires reliable utility access, including redundant power and communication feeds. The absence of these can dramatically impact feasibility.
- Cost and Timeline: It’s intuitive to expect a greenfield project to be more costly than a renovation, but that is not always the case. A recent renovation project was so extensive, involving adding redundant MEP systems, security, and partial EMP protection, that Lamb recommended a greenfield project as the most cost-effective option.
- Environmental Compliance: Regulatory permitting is often a significant hurdle. Understanding regional environmental regulations early in the feasibility phase is essential. For example, innovative stormwater management systems, such as vegetated basins, can enhance both environmental compliance and site security.
Why Choose Control Room Renovation?
Renovation often appeals to organizations with established facilities that require modernization. It allows for operational continuity while addressing critical upgrades. However, Control Room renovations come with inherent challenges that demand meticulous planning.
Top Challenges in Control Room Renovation Projects
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- Space & Infrastructure Constraints: Expanding or upgrading existing facilities often means working within tight spatial and regulatory limits. For instance, adding redundant components may impact areas of your facility outside of the Control Room renovation area.
- Operational Impacts: Maintaining operations during renovations requires careful coordination. Ensuring secure site access during construction is a common pain point that Lamb addresses by working closely with clients’ security teams. Lamb has also utilized a phased approach during construction to limit operational impacts as much as possible.
- Compliance Hurdles: Renovating a Control Room to meet the latest NERC-CIP guidelines can be tricky. Our engineers have addressed numerous physical challenges, such as expanding or modifying the security perimeter, arranging access points, or addressing new penetrations through a secure area.
- Cost Implications: Control Room renovations may lead to higher total project costs due to the complexity of upgrading systems while preserving existing infrastructure. Contractors may need to navigate operational and existing physical constraints, which can increase labor and time requirements. These elements must be included in the initial evaluation of renovation vs. greenfield development.
In greenfield Control Center projects, you’re creating a purpose-built environment, optimizing from the ground up. Renovations, however, can be cost-effective, ideal if your current infrastructure can be adapted without compromising function.
The following table provides key factors that our Control Center experts use to guide clients in assessing each option and determining which best fits your needs.
Lamb’s Process: Tailored for Success
Greenfield Construction Projects
Lamb’s approach to greenfield Control Center projects is comprehensive, from site assessments to final layouts. Utilizing tools like LIDAR topography and 3D renderings, we provide clients with detailed visualizations so they can make informed decisions. Additionally, we incorporate sustainable practices, such as grassed swales for stormwater management, blending environmental stewardship with operational resilience.
Control Room Renovation
For renovations, our Control Room planning team excels at identifying opportunities to modernize facilities while minimizing disruptions. From upgrading legacy stormwater and site security systems to optimizing existing layouts, we prioritize efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Our in-house team’s expertise ensures seamless integration of new technologies, meeting the demands of modern Control Room design without compromising existing operations.
The Role of Lamb’s Architects & Engineers
Lamb’s team of Control Center Architects and Engineers brings unparalleled expertise to every project. From addressing security needs in high-reliability facility design to ensuring ergonomic layouts that enhance operator efficiency, we deliver solutions that go beyond the Control Room to provide a facility that meets your specific needs.
Which Path Is Right for You?
Choosing between a greenfield Control Center and a Control Room renovation is no small task. Both paths have their advantages and challenges. Greenfield projects offer unmatched flexibility, while renovations provide a practical way to modernize existing infrastructure, usually more quickly and with a smaller budget.
The right choice depends on your organization’s priorities: Are you looking for a clean slate to implement the latest technologies, or do you need to optimize what you already have?
At Lamb, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Whether you’re embarking on greenfield construction projects or tackling a Control Room modernization, our team is ready to help you plan, design, and build a facility that meets today’s needs while preparing for tomorrow’s challenges.
Ready to start your journey? Contact us to explore your options.
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