CASE STUDY
Value Engineering
Data Center Electrical Skid Optimization — Structural Innovation & Cost Reduction Initiatives
This document presents value engineering case studies demonstrating systematic approaches to optimizing data center electrical skid designs. Through collaborative engineering, multiple design alternatives were evaluated to achieve significant cost and weight reductions while maintaining or exceeding structural performance requirements.
Data center electrical skid weight by -64%,
without cutting corners
When electrical skids are overengineered for their actual service loads, the cost shows up everywhere, in materials, transportation, lifting, and fabrication labor. Avant Leap developed a structured value engineering program evaluating five distinct design approaches, all fully IBC 2021 and ASCE 7-16 compliant.
Design Options Evaluated
Material Cost Savings
Max Weight Reduction
Code Compliance
Case Studies
CASE STUDY 1
Systematic Design Optimization Program
Challenge
Existing skid designs were potentially overengineered for their actual service loads, creating unnecessary cost and weight, with no structured way to compare alternatives while staying code-compliant.
Solution
A five-option evaluation program that pushed each design to its structural limits, adding material back only where IBC 2021 and ASCE 7-16 compliance required it.
Result
Up to 64% weight reduction (759 lbs per skid) with all deflection values within L/360 serviceability limits, across every option evaluated.
CASE STUDY 2
Modular System Innovation
Challenge
Traditional welded steel fabrication created production bottlenecks, prevented disassembly, and locked in more weight than the loads actually demanded.
Solution
Full substitution to a Hilti MT modular framing system, eliminating welding entirely and replacing every structural member with right-sized bolted equivalents.
Result
620 lbs saved per skid, 35% material cost reduction ($7K vs. $10K traditional), and 100% reusable components across future projects.
CASE STUDY 3
Progressive Member Optimization
Challenge
No clear methodology existed for incrementally downsizing structural members without risking code non-compliance or structural failure.
Solution
A two-stage downsizing approach, C6→C4 base frame in Stage 1, then C3 internal base, C4 roof frame, and L-angle columns in Stage 2, validated at each step.
Result
Total weight dropped from 1,943.8 lbs to 1,184.6 lbs, a 64% reduction, with max deflection confirmed within limits at every stage.
CASE STUDY 4
Safety-First Value Engineering
Challenge
Several proposed optimizations showed real cost savings potential but couldn't be safely executed, particularly for rigging and lifting operations on heavier skid types.
Solution
Systematic evaluation of six skid form factors led to the rejection of four specific optimizations and the establishment of non-negotiable minimums: 1-1/4" base plates, HSS 6x3x1/4 perimeter beams, and specific anchor requirements.
Result
A codified set of structural floor standards that apply to all future skid designs, protecting both the client and the engineering team.
CASE STUDY 5
Future Innovation Pipeline
Challenge
Current validated designs, while optimized, still rely on conventional rolled steel, leaving potential weight, cost, and environmental gains on the table.
Solution
Two next-generation concepts in active development, precision bent sheet metal profiles (3D models complete in Inventor) and a timber-steel hybrid system using pressure-treated wood and CLT for internal structure.
Result
Preliminary bent sheet metal weights of 1,375.8 lbs (Skid 03) and 2,126.7 lbs (Skid 01). Both concepts under structural evaluation, positioned as the next wave of savings once validated.