Enterprise-class wholesale data center operator T5 Data Centers is launching a facilities management company called T5FM. The subsidiary will offer third-party facilities management services to data center operators across North America.

T5 operates several data centers in the U.S. and is offering its domain-specific expertise, including on-site talent and training, to other data center owners and users.

The executive management team of T5FM has more than 100 years combined experience managing a variety of types of data centers. It will assist customers in making critical operational decisions, develop policies and procedures to mitigate risk and eliminate operational stress.

The four pillars of the program are safety, training, process and procedures and customer communications.

T5FM has a custom electrical safety program that follows NFPA 70 guidelines. NFPA 70 acts as the benchmark for safe electrical design installation and inspection to protect both people are property. All T5FM technicians are certified in OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), the aforementioned NFPA 70, as well as first aid/CPR/AED (capable of performing CPR or working an automated external defibrillator).

A customized facility management training program has been developed, complete with textbook, portfolio training classes and online tests. The program trains staff across mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection disciplines. The company says training is modified to suit each location.

The process and procedures are drawn from T5’s portfolio policies for quality control. T5FM has a baseline for all site-specific methods of procedures (MOPs), standard operating procedures (SOPs) and emergency operating procedures.

T5FM also goes beyond facilities operations, training and safety, also helping with customer communications. Streamlined communications strategies are built to suit each customer’s needs. The program offers visibility into T5’s computerized maintenance management systems so customers can track preventative maintenance, alarms and trouble ticketing.

“Creating our own data center facilities management company was a logical next step for T5 Data Centers," said Mike Casey, chief operating officer of T5. "Unlike other facilities managers, we don't operate apartment buildings or office buildings or other property types -- we only operate data centers. That's our core competency, and we want our customers to benefit from our extensive experience managing T5's own enterprise grade wholesale data centers."