The Three Rs of Intelligent Infrastructure

Redundancy, Reliability, and Resiliency are the three Rs of basic design concepts for intelligent infrastructure needed to provide a solid platform for mission critical applications and real-time communications-based information technology applications.

In commercial real estate, any owner or managing firm of an intelligent business campus (IBC) or intelligent industrial park (IIP) wanting to attract and maintain new corporate tenants has to be focused on following these basic concepts for building next-generation business parks. Intelligent amenities of redundant power from separate power grids and reliable access to multiple network carriers for broadband connectivity are capabilities that more and more are looking for.

These are two key infrastructure factors today in developing high-tech real estate that can support mission critical data centers as well as today’s complex corporate tenant needs which include cloud computing.

Today, intelligent amenities need to be addressed upfront in the Master Planning of a business campus prior to prospective tenant inquiries. In the past, they were left to be determined after the tenant had moved in. Now, if they are not present upfront, a prospective tenant’s site selection and evaluation team will keep looking to the next region for potential sites.

Many commercial properties are land-locked when it comes to having any network carrier available with high-speed connectivity that can provide multiple gigabit services. Having one network carrier available or one source of power is not enough, especially when you are looking to maintain mission critical applications that require high reliability and survivability.

Most industrial parks and business campuses do not offer the same level of capabilities which are needed to compete in today’s and tomorrow’s global economy. The differentiation of amenities is what will determine new values for properties as well as how fast properties will sell or lease up.

New approaches needed for master planning

Changing the approach used for Master Planning for commercial and industrial campuses should be accomplished by those who are involved in the planning and design facets of commercial real estate. They need to understand the new requirements from the tenants’ perspective.

For instance, the reliability of one network carrier is not enough. Having a second carrier with second diversified route is a solid amenity to have and to market. The same goes for redundant power supplies. Those properties that can offer better amenities will attract better tenants.

Having these capabilities upfront embedded in the initial infrastructure will attract a higher caliber of tenant who is looking for sophisticated amenities to support their business that is competing in a global economy.

CARLINI-ISM : You must build upon a solid foundation both in design as well as final implementation. Reciting buzzwords is not enough. People must get a sense of forward progress and removal of dated concepts.

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