Data centres
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
Data comprises facts about things, people, events, states of affairs and other subjects. It is a set of values that can be stored in various formats, each value relating to a quantitative or qualitative entity. Put another way, data is a method for representing in some form or other how certain things actually are in the real world.
For more information see: Data
Data centres are buildings (or spaces within buildings) in which data can be stored on servers, computers, hard discs and other devices. Data storage is now often a rentable commodity, and it is crucial to maintain a service that is seamless and reliable. Data centres therefore feature ancillary systems such as back-up components and power supply systems.
Extending as far back as the first computer rooms of the 1940s, data centres became prolific during the dot-com bubble of 1997-2000, offering equipment, space and bandwidth facilities to retail customers. Today, they may take up a few floors or entire multi-storey buildings with areas of thousands of square metres.
[edit] Requirements of modern-day data centres
Modern data centres will be governed by the physical requirements that cover most buildings but will be required to satisfy extra criteria due to their specialised nature:
- Location: proximity to power grids and telecommunications infrastructure.
- Power: the driving force of a data centre without which it could not operate. However, it may be limited in capacity if subject to challenging power-usage legislation. Due to the relatively heavy power consumption of such facilities, planning guidelines may seek to minimise their carbon footprint, possibly by balancing the centre’s power consumption. This may be a design priority which could see the use of photovoltaics for complementary power generation and exporting waste heat energy to the local neighbourhood (see below).
- Construction: as well as being governed by minimum area requirements, local building regulations may stipulate a minimum floor to ceiling height – the clear distance between raised floor level and ceiling level. The raised floor allows access to wiring and cables and also assists with mechanical cooling. As data centres are primarily for equipment requiring minimal staff intervention – if at all – there may be no need for window openings. If there are no staff, there may be minimal requirement for lighting.
- Heating and ventilation: digital equipment tends to generate heat. Services may therefore be needed to regulate summer and winter temperatures to maintain a steady optimal, environment. Humidity stability may also be maintained. Depending on requirements, a constant pressure within the building may be specified. Special equipment may be used to monitor the environment and this may include pre-flood scenarios.
See also:
- Large hyper data centres demand for precision cooling.
- Data centre cooling.
- Top 10 tips for efficient data centre management.
[edit] Telehouse West
Opened in 2010, Telehouse West in London's Docklands area, was Europe’s first purpose-built neutral colocation provider. It was also the first major data centre to be built in the UK following the newly introduced energy requirements of the 2008 Planning Act. Spread over 19,000m2, with five floors of IT technical space, four service floors and a separate two-storey generator building, the windowless centre offers equipment, space and bandwidth facilities to retail customers.
To reduce the carbon footprint, engineers at WSP included a solution to provide 9MW of warm water free to the local community, and installed photovoltaic cells on the south elevation to further balance energy consumption.
NB NABERS UK, The Rules, Energy for Offices Version 1.0, published by NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment in November 2020, defines a data centre as:
'A computer server room that comprises:
- a) at least 5 % of the total office NIA of the rated building; or
- b) at least 25 % of the NIA of the floor on which it is located; or
- c) a room where at least 75 % of its capacity is dedicated to external users.
The combination of multiple computer server rooms is not considered a data centre.'
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Air conditioning.
- BREEAM Data Centres Annex Pilot.
- Building energy management systems BEMS.
- Building management systems.
- Building services engineer.
- Building services.
- Colocation centre.
- Computer server room.
- Cyber threats to building automation and control systems.
- Data.
- Data centre cooling.
- Energy management and building controls.
- HVAC.
- Internet of things.
- Large hyper data centres demand for precision cooling.
- Method of procedure.
- Smart buildings.
- Smart technology.
- Top 10 tips for efficient data centre management.
- Wireless vs wired building energy management system.
Featured articles and news
Construction industry reactions to the election result
ECA, CIAT and more to come as published.
At a Crossroads; Pathways to a Net Zero Future
Background to and summary of this key Renewable UK report.
Installing solar panels on listed structures.
The current and future global market dynamics of boilers
Significant challenges but adaptation to sustain for longer.
Designing sustainability and performance into buildings
Specifying and selecting sustainable resilient timber products.
Modifying wood to improve resistance to decay and movement.
A last minute, long look for built environment professionals.
The architecture of creative reuse. Book review.
Sustainable development global goals, history in progress?
"Unless we act now, the 2030 Agenda will become an epitaph for a world that might have been."
Mike Kagioglou FCIOB named CIOB President
'Sustainable Development Goals must be focus for construction'
BSRIA training; a look at what's on offer
From energy management to compliance training.
TESP video warns to beware of rogue trainers.
Highlighting the slippery tactics of non-approved providers.
New Building Safety Wiki launched
Boosting awareness and understanding of the new fire safety regime.
New playbook on AI in construction published by CIOB
How to get to grips with, and the best from AI.
Digital Construction Report NBS
BIM, cloud, off-site, immersive tech, AI, twins and sustainability.