July 25, 2024
By Daniel J. Sterchak, President
MODERN CONTROL ROOM DESIGN FOR NEXT-GEN OPERATORS
I had the pleasure of touring through one of our recently completed Control Room renovation projects last week and heard a very valuable piece of feedback from the System Operations team about how to keep Control Room operators. While the new Control Room Design itself is very impressive, complete with custom operator consoles, engineering support area, full kitchen, and overview conference room, the biggest positive feedback centered on a place that can often be an afterthought – the Training Room.
Training Rooms and Simulation Rooms have long been pushed into makeshift spaces or old conference rooms. They are often cramped and lack the advanced Control Room technology available to the operators at the Primary and Backup Control Centers. Put simply, most operators don’t want to work or train there. Recently, Lamb’s specialized Architects & Engineers have seen a trend toward prioritizing and modernizing these spaces, which has yielded gains in Control Room operator attraction, retention, and effectiveness.
WHAT SHOULD A TRAINING ROOM / SIMULATOR ROOM LOOK LIKE?
Ideally, to keep Control Room operators up to speed for 24/7 operations, the Training Room Design should approximate the main Control Room, as best as practical. While these rooms are often scaled down, the ergonomics, layout, and technology should mimic the real operator experience. Lamb’s Control Room Architects identify these components and fit them into the space available, using 2D and 3D models to depict the future environment.
In addition to the simulated Control Room space, Training Rooms should have a classroom-style teaching area, dedicated trainer areas, space for pre- and post-training briefings, and an area to set up catering or training materials.
Technology should bring the whole space together, offering trainers the ability to run simulations or show training videos on any screen throughout the room and to broadcast the seminars to other sites, when necessary.
WHY ARE TRAINING / SIMULATOR ROOMS EVOLVING SO RAPIDLY?
TRAINING REQUIRED FOR OPERATORS
The amount of training required of today’s operators and the growth of DERs and other renewable energy initiatives mean that more time is spent learning new systems and obtaining certifications
FEWER OPERATORS STARTING AS TECHNICIANS
There are fewer Control Room operators starting their careers as field technicians. Many operators come from engineering backgrounds or other fields of work completely. These operators may be learning the entire utility infrastructure system from the ground up. A purpose-built and robust learning environment can help attract and retain this new generation of operators.
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The COVID-19 pandemic saw many Training Rooms serving as as tertiary Control Rooms for overnight or weekend operations. The lack of technology and amenities in these existing spaces put a strain on operators’ ability to work effectively. Focusing on enhancing your Training Room is an insurance policy for a future critical event.
WHAT DOES THIS FOCUS MEAN FOR MAIN CONTROL ROOM DESIGN
As trainees move out into the main Control Room, the training continues through active shadowing by senior operators. This means additional space requirements at each console which, in turn, grows the room in full. This also leads to additional HVAC and electrical requirements.
That is why Lamb’s holistic approach to Control Room Planning, Design, and Construction is key to taking all operational changes into account when working through the facility, security, and IT requirements of a project. A focus solely on consoles or audio/visual elements can miss the full picture of these mission-critical Training and Simulator spaces within a Control Center.
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