For owners, owner’s representatives, design teams and integrators assigning scope on a control room or operations center.
Control-room projects divide design, supply, installation, integration and acceptance responsibilities among several parties: the owner, the design team, one or more specialist integrators and the general contractor. Scope gaps can arise at the interfaces between them.
The matrix below is a starting point for assigning responsibilities before pricing. Use it to ask the right questions, then record the actual assignments in the contract documents for your project.
| Item | Typically designed by | Typically furnished and installed by | GC usually provides | Common scope gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Room layout and sightlines | Architect or control-room consultant, with integrator input | — | Builds to the approved layout; coordinates walls, doors, columns and ceilings | Console clearances and sightlines not checked against doors, columns or ceiling elements |
| Consoles | Console manufacturer, from the approved layout | Integrator or console manufacturer | Floor preparation, backing where required, power and data stubs at the agreed locations | Floor flatness, floor loading and stub locations not agreed before slab or floor work |
| Video wall and displays | Integrator for AV requirements; responsible structural designer for supports and anchorage | Integrator | Structural backing, power, pathways, ventilation and service access as detailed | Backing, mounting and service-access details missing from the construction documents |
| Power distribution | Electrical engineer of record | Electrical subcontractor under the GC | Distribution, circuits and connections shown in the construction documents | Circuit requirements for consoles and racks arriving after electrical design is complete |
| UPS and backup power | Electrical engineer of record | Supply, installation, connections and startup assigned separately among the owner, contractors and equipment vendor | Installation and connections as assigned | Who furnishes, sets, connects and starts up owner-furnished equipment |
| Cooling | Mechanical engineer of record | Mechanical subcontractor under the GC | Equipment, ductwork and controls shown in the construction documents | Equipment heat loads and operating hours confirmed too late for mechanical design |
| Low-voltage cabling | Design team or integrator | Varies: integrator or low-voltage contractor | Pathways, sleeves, backboxes and penetrations as assigned | Who pulls, terminates, labels and tests each cable type |
| Access control and security | Security designer or integrator | Security integrator | Door hardware coordination, backboxes, conduit and power as assigned | Door hardware and access-control devices specified by different parties without coordination |
| IT and network equipment | Owner’s IT team and relevant integrators, with network architecture and security requirements approved by the owner | Owner, integrator or IT contractor, as assigned; distinguish equipment supply, physical installation, configuration and network connection | Rack locations, power, grounding, cooling and pathways as designed | Rack delivery timing and installation access not tied to the construction schedule |
| Lighting and controls | Design team | Electrical subcontractor under the GC | Fixtures, dimming and controls shown in the construction documents | Dimming or scene control expected to integrate with room systems without a defined interface |
| Acoustic treatments | Design team or acoustic consultant | Subcontractor under the GC | Installation of specified treatments | Treatments assumed in the layout but not specified in the documents |
| Fire protection and life safety | Fire protection engineer and design team | Assigned fire-suppression, fire-alarm, electrical and controls contractors | Systems shown in the construction documents; coordination with HVAC and power shutdowns | Interfaces between fire alarm, HVAC shutdown and critical equipment not defined |
| Controls and cross-system integration | Relevant designers and specialist integrators | Assigned controls, AV, security and network providers | Specified building interfaces and coordination of contracted trades | Point lists, protocols, programming, licenses and end-to-end interface testing not assigned |
| Owner-furnished equipment logistics | Equipment supplier’s handling and storage requirements | Delivery, offloading, receiving, storage and preservation assigned separately | Only the logistics, protection and records assigned to it | Damage responsibility, storage conditions and warranty obligations unallocated |
| Testing and acceptance | Commissioning plan from the owner or commissioning authority | Contractors and vendors perform assigned tests; commissioning oversight, witnessing, integrated testing and acceptance responsibilities are established in the owner-approved plan | Performs assigned testing, coordinates contracted trades’ participation, resolves deficiencies within its scope and provides required records | Integrated test procedures, prerequisites, participation, retesting and acceptance authority not assigned |
| Training and turnover | Owner defines requirements | Training and documentation assigned by system to the relevant installer, integrator, vendor or other contracted provider | Construction records, warranties and O&M documents for contracted scope | Operator training for integrator systems assumed to be the GC’s responsibility |
“Typically” describes a common arrangement, not a rule. Assignments vary by owner, project delivery method and contract.
For the questions to settle before pricing, see the control room construction checklist.
For construction scope and delivery discussions, see our control room and operations center construction services.
Tell us whether it’s a new building or an interior build-out, who is providing design and systems integration, and your target installation and turnover dates.