Process and Industrial Control Room Design
Control Rooms for Plants Where a Slow Decision Is Expensive
Refineries, polymer plants, mines and power stations are run from the control room. We design that room around the operator, from concept to commissioning.
When a room is designed around the equipment instead of the people, the cost shows up later: missed alarms, slow handovers, fatigue and a redesign that costs more than doing it right first time.
The building comes first
Siting studies fix blast walls, glazing and ventilation. The layout works inside them.
Response time is part of safety
Sightlines, alarm visibility and short paths support the response your risk case counts on.
Alarm load drives the workstation
Consoles and screens follow the alarm philosophy and HMI hierarchy, not desk space.
Built for 03:00
Lighting, acoustics, temperature and seating designed for alertness on long shifts.
Upgrades without shutdowns
Staging plans and temporary positions keep the plant under control.
What We Design
Task and link analysis
Who needs to see what, talk to whom, and how fast, before a single console is drawn.
Operators, supervisors, relief positions
Layout, consoles and overviews
Room layout, sightlines, console arrangement and video wall content sized to viewing distance.
DCS, SCADA, CCTV, communications
Environment and specifications
Lighting, acoustics and HVAC for 24/7 work, and performance specifications ready for tender.
Vendor-independent
Four stages, one design authority
1
Concept: task analysis, space test and options
2
FEED: sightlines, schedules and specifications
3
Detailed design: drawings and the tender pack
4
Site supervision: built as designed, then handover
Each stage has a fixed fee and clear deliverables. In Southern Africa we can also fabricate and install; in the GCC our partners do.
Standards Behind Every Design
We design with reference to the standards that matter for people in control rooms. Tap a card to see what each one covers.
ISO 11064Ergonomic design of control centresTap to read more
Layout, workstation, display and environmental requirements for control rooms, from concept to evaluation.
ISO 6385Ergonomics of work systemsTap to read more
The principles behind designing work around people: tasks, equipment and environment together.
EEMUA 201Control room design guidanceTap to read more
Practical guidance on human-centred control room and HMI design for process industries.
EEMUA 191Alarm systemsTap to read more
How to design, manage and measure alarm systems so operators are not flooded.
ISA-18.2 / IEC 62682Alarm management lifecycleTap to read more
The lifecycle for alarm philosophy, rationalisation and performance monitoring.
ISA-101HMI designTap to read more
How operator screens should be structured, from plant overview down to equipment detail.
IOGP 454Human factors in projectsTap to read more
Human factors engineering built into capital projects from the start.
Your site codesLocal and owner specificationsTap to read more
Your own specifications and the codes in force where you build always take precedence.
Frequently asked questions
When should a control room designer be appointed?
Before the control building, the DCS layout and the furniture order are fixed.
Can you work inside a blast-rated control building?
Yes. We treat the siting study and building envelope as fixed and design the room to work within them.
Who supplies and installs the consoles and video wall?
In Southern Africa we can take the whole room as one accountable party. In the GCC our local partners supply and install to our specification.
Can you upgrade a live control room?
Yes. We plan staged upgrades so the plant stays under control throughout.
Do you work outside South Africa?
Yes, across Southern Africa and the GCC.