DEEP DIVE
WE ‘ DEEP DIVE ’ WITH GARY WOOLLARD , SENIOR CONSULTANT , BCS , WHO TELLS US ABOUT LIFE INSIDE
AND OUTSIDE THE OFFICE .
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What would you describe as your most memorable achievement in the data centre industry ?
It may be a cliché of a response , but each successful delivery of a project is an achievement as each one comes with its own unique challenges – be that commercially with budgets constraints , out-of-control changes or with delivery and management of the project . By resolving these issues and delivering a successful project on behalf of my client I feel that I have really achieved something .
What first made you think of a career in technology / data centres ?
Being an MEP QS I have a keen interest in the engineering and technological aspects of projects . I love how the different solutions affect other elements of construction or end-user requirements . After starting out in critical infrastructure projects by delivering major MEP upgrades and plant replacement projects , the next natural step was the data centre market and with the sector ’ s current focus on reducing environmental impact
I FEEL THE MAIN FOCUS FOR CLIENTS AND DEVELOPERS IS ON REDUCING THE COOLING IMPACT IN DEPLOYING ENERGY EFFICIENT PLANTS AND MINIMISING WATER USAGE .
and energy usage , it is interesting to keep up with the technological advancements that are instilling efficiencies throughout .
What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position ?
I like to empower and share responsibility with my team as this allows them to be engaged with their work , not only encouraging them in their delivery and tasks but enabling them to contribute to the project and the business overall . An empowered individual will understand the reasons for any deadlines , the purpose of delivering the day-to-day tasks and delivering outputs for clients leading to successful outcomes and instilling trust from our clients .
What do you think is the current hot talking point within the data centre space ?
I believe the same hot topic that is not just within our sector but throughout many aspects of life at the moment is the reduction of CO 2 impact on the environment , green energy and efficiency in commodities such as water and energy . Data centres use a vast amount of energy and water , the majority of which is to support the servers and to provide a cooling infrastructure . While there has always been a constant drive at reducing energy usage , I feel the main focus for clients and developers is on reducing the cooling impact in deploying energy efficient plants and minimising water usage .
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