Service
General Contractors of Garland handles data center construction with one coordinated project workflow covering site readiness, building systems, field sequencing, and final turnover for Garland and DFW owners.
General Contractors of Garland coordinates data center construction for edge data operators, colocation developers, and enterprise users across Garland and east Dallas County. The DFW metro is one of the most active data center markets in the United States, and Garland's position inside the metro — served by Garland Power and Light's independent utility infrastructure, positioned along I-635 LBJ Freeway, and connected to the broader DFW fiber network — makes it a viable location for edge and regional data facilities that need metro connectivity without the land cost and power constraints of Tier 1 data center submarkets.
Data center construction demands a general contractor who understands that power reliability, cooling redundancy, and phased energization are not features to be specified in the contract documents — they are operational requirements that must drive every construction decision from site selection through commissioning. A data center that loses utility power during a construction-phase energization test because the generator switchover was not coordinated correctly is a project failure regardless of what the CO says. We manage the power strategy, cooling system coordination, and commissioning sequence as integrated construction priorities, not owner-furnished equipment afterthoughts.
Garland Power and Light's independent utility system — separate from Oncor's grid — creates both an advantage and a coordination requirement for data center construction in Garland. GPL's industrial rate structure and service reliability record make it an attractive power provider for edge data facilities. Coordinating transformer sizing, service entry design, and redundant feed configuration with GPL requires early engagement and detailed load data that we build into the preconstruction process.
Data center construction in Garland covers power infrastructure, cooling systems, structural design for raised floors or mechanical rooms, security envelope, fiber entry coordination, and phased commissioning — all within a delivery plan that protects the owner's go-live schedule and operational reliability targets. We frame those requirements at preconstruction and release packages in a sequence that protects each milestone.
Garland Power and Light service coordination is a critical preconstruction activity for any data center project in the GPL service territory. Transformer procurement, switchgear sizing, and redundant feed configuration all require GPL engagement months before energization. We manage that coordination as a schedule-critical procurement item from day one.
Data center field execution is controlled by the power and cooling infrastructure milestones. Generator pads, fuel tank containment, switchgear rooms, and UPS battery rooms need to be built to the equipment vendor's specifications before any mechanical or electrical equipment is set. Changes to those structural elements after concrete is poured require expensive modifications that data center schedules cannot absorb.
Commissioning sequencing for data center construction requires integrated testing of power, cooling, and fire protection systems before IT equipment is installed. We coordinate the commissioning sequence with the owner's commissioning agent and equipment vendors to ensure each system is tested in the correct order and that the integrated system functions as designed before the owner's equipment racks are populated.
Data center owners choose coordinated delivery in Garland because a data center that misses its go-live date has direct revenue consequences measured in contracted colocation commitments or enterprise operations that are waiting on the facility to go live. The schedule is a business obligation, not a construction estimate, and the contractor must manage it accordingly.
Garland Power and Light's independent utility infrastructure gives data center developers in the GPL service territory a power provider that is not subject to the same transmission congestion and rate volatility as the ERCOT grid. That reliability advantage is only realized if the service design, transformer procurement, and redundant feed coordination are managed correctly in construction — which is what we deliver.
Step 1
Data center projects start with a detailed review of the owner's power density targets, cooling strategy, redundancy tier requirements, and go-live schedule. For Garland projects, we verify GPL service capacity on the specific parcel, engage GPL on transformer procurement and service entry design, and align the power strategy with the owner's redundancy requirements before the structural package is designed.
Step 2
Generator sets, UPS systems, switchgear, cooling equipment, and fiber infrastructure are long-lead procurement items with 20 to 40 week lead times. We release those packages in preconstruction so equipment arrives on site when the building is ready for installation. Data center projects that treat mechanical and electrical equipment as a field-phase procurement end up waiting for equipment on a completed building.
Step 3
Generator pad dimensions, fuel tank containment geometry, mechanical room floor loads, raised floor support requirements, and security perimeter design are confirmed with the equipment vendors and incorporated into the structural package before permit submission. Garland's Blackland Prairie clay subgrade treatment is coordinated for the specific load combinations of generator pads and mechanical equipment foundations.
Step 4
Mechanical, electrical, and fire suppression systems are installed in a sequence that allows phased commissioning testing. Power systems are tested before cooling systems are energized. Cooling systems are tested before IT equipment is installed. Fire suppression acceptance testing is coordinated with the City of Garland before the IT environment is occupied.
Step 5
Integrated commissioning verifies that power, cooling, fire suppression, and security systems operate together as designed under simulated load conditions. We coordinate the commissioning sequence with the owner's commissioning agent, equipment vendors, and IT installation teams so the go-live timeline is protected. City of Garland final inspection and certificate of occupancy are secured before the first server rack is populated.
Data center scheduling in Garland is controlled by GPL service coordination, long-lead equipment delivery, and commissioning sequencing. We build those milestones into the master schedule from preconstruction and manage all other field activities around them. When power infrastructure, cooling systems, and commissioning are managed as the controlling events, the go-live date is a deliverable rather than an aspiration.
Garland's spring hail season creates a specific risk for data center projects during the enclosure phase. Generator sets and cooling equipment that arrive on site before the building is enclosed need temporary protection from hail damage. We phase equipment delivery to coincide with building enclosure where possible, and provide temporary protection for pre-delivered equipment when schedule constraints require early delivery.
Garland's position inside DFW, served by an independent utility with a reliable track record and industrial rate structure, makes it a legitimate location for edge data and regional colocation facilities that need metro connectivity and power reliability. The GPL service territory differentiates Garland from ERCOT-dependent suburban markets where grid congestion and rate volatility create operational risk for power-intensive data operations.
Data center construction planning matters in Garland because the power and cooling decisions made in preconstruction determine the facility's operational reliability profile for its entire life. A data center with undersized transformer capacity, insufficient cooling redundancy, or a commissioning sequence that was not managed correctly does not meet its tier requirements regardless of what the construction documents say.
Primary Garland coverage for commercial and industrial construction tied to infill redevelopment, flex industrial upgrades, and regional owner-user growth.
Open pageEast-side market for commercial shells, light industrial projects, service facilities, and corridor-driven retail or office expansion.
Open pageNorth corridor coverage for office, medical office, tenant build-out, corporate support space, and selective industrial expansion work.
Open pageEast-side market for commercial shells, light industrial projects, service facilities, and corridor-driven retail or office expansion.
Open pageEast-side market for commercial shells, light industrial projects, service facilities, and corridor-driven retail or office expansion.
Open pageCentral DFW coverage for urban commercial projects, industrial repositioning, adaptive reuse, tenant improvements, and shell delivery.
Open pageGarland Power and Light is a municipally owned utility that operates independently from the ERCOT transmission grid, providing its own generation and distribution infrastructure. For data center operators, GPL offers industrial rate structures, direct service coordination, and a reliability track record separate from the grid congestion that affects ERCOT-dependent utilities. We engage GPL early in preconstruction to confirm available capacity and coordinate service entry design.
We support Tier I through Tier III data center construction for edge, enterprise, and colocation users. Tier IV construction with concurrent maintainability requirements involves specialized commissioning protocols that we coordinate with the owner's commissioning agent. The structural, electrical, and cooling design for each tier level is coordinated with the appropriate engineering team before construction documents are submitted for permit.
Generator fuel tank containment — above-ground tanks with secondary containment or underground tanks with leak detection — is designed to meet Garland Fire Marshal and EPA SPCC requirements. We coordinate the containment design with the project engineer and the Garland Fire Department before the structural package is permitted, so containment geometry is correct before concrete is placed.
Yes. Phased data center construction — building power and cooling infrastructure in advance of full IT load — requires careful design of the phased power distribution, cooling capacity, and commissioning sequence so each phase is fully operational before the next phase begins construction. We coordinate the phased delivery plan with the owner's IT infrastructure team and commissioning agent before design begins.
