Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/522582
www.datacenterjournal.com A contractor's success if oen measured by financial and schedule performance. As a result, a contrac- tor's decisions are oen centered around economic or schedule parameters. e design professional typically centers deci- sions more heavily weighted to the quality of design, long-term performance, and ongoing operations that may sometimes be at odds with specific financial or sched- ule goals. Because of these sometimes conflicting goals, design-build contract- ing arrangements are oen best suited when project requirements, performance criteria, and scope of work are very clearly defined. Clear definition oen carries subjective differences between an owner, design professional, and contractor. e point being that this particular contract- ing arrangement requires all parties, the contractor, owner, and design professional, to be mindful that the contractor, not the building owner, is the design professional's client. is can be difficult if a party is unaccustomed to this contractual arrange- ment. As a result, team selection in this should be more carefully scrutinized for technical construction, as in the case of a data center construction project. PeoPle not ContraCts While much of the responsibilities described in this article are generally well understood and accepted principles, the enforcement of the responsibilities are of- ten subject to contract terms. Some of the responsibilities listed may not be implicit in a construction agreement. Whenever possible, the desired responsibilities of the contractor should be explicitly written into the agreement. It is also noted that regardless of the accuracy or completeness of any contract document, the complexities specific to a data center construction project can es- sentially guarantee that no two contractors will provide the same result or perform equal responsibilities given the same set of contract documents. Ultimately, people carry out the responsibilities described within con- tracts. While effective communication in a contract document will help the project get started on the right track, continuous and effective communication through the entire project is the ultimate guarantor of successful contract execution. With all of today's automation and reliance on non- human infrastructure, effective human interaction still remains the key compo- nent to successful completion of construc- tion goals. n about the author: Jun Yang, PE, LEED AP is the managing principal of Building Networks Group, a boutique consulting engineering firm specializing in the planning, design, implementation, and operation of critical facilities. Jun has extensive experience in contract document development and contractor selection. He has successfully assisted in the construction of over 1 million square feet and over 1 billion dollars of data center construction. GIVE US 4 MONTHS, WE'LL BUILD YOU A FORTRESS. When you need a building now. We understand the urgency of growth. Every day we help brands like Walmart, FedEx and Lowe's expand their footprint with speed and fi scal accountability. When your organization is ready to expand—Fabcon Precast is ready to help you. PRECAST WALL SYSTEMS - ENGINEERING - MANUFACTURING - INSTALLATION ©2015 Fabcon Precast www.fabconprecast.com | 952-890-4444