In this instalment of the Build Blog, we look at the closure of Phase 2 development works here at Netwise London East.
The updates here take us from June to present day, as the first new clients now prepare to move critical systems into our newly launched data hall. Data Hall 3 is the fourth and final hall to come into service in the active side of NLE, with Data Hall 4 launched ahead of Data Hall 3 (for various technical and logistical reasons), in mid-2024.
Phase 3 development works continue, as we prepare for the launch of Data Halls 5 and 6 in 2026, as part of our new expansion project. Updates on Phase 3 have slowed slightly as we turned attention to closing out Phase 2, and onlining Data Hall 3, which is now ready to receive incoming deployments.
Here are the update photos from the close-out of Phase 2:
Completing Data Hall 3
First we step back to the height of the summer, as the underfloor works are completed, ahead of cooling plant siting, followed by the commissioning of all key systems.
The under floor containment and cabling works are well underway at this stageData Hall 3 utilises the same under floor power delivery system as found in Data Hall 4, which is now approaching capacityThis view across Data Hall 3 shows the two eventual containment pod locations, on the left and right floor islands seen hereOne side of the power distribution system for energising racks can be seen here, as termination and testing works continueNeat installations are not only a visual delight, but make ongoing maintenance and testing much more straightforward – our in-house electrical team take great pride in their termination workHere we see more pleasing visual symmetry under floor, which often comes hand-in-hand with redundancy, whereby two (or more) identical systems are deployed in tandemOur under floor tray work is always a source of pride for the team here at Netwise, which is why we opt to install strategically-placed glass floor tiles once the hall is complete, to ensure this work isn’t covered and forgotten, and can be further enjoyed by our clientsSeeing newly laid and dressed cabling on expertly installed containment is always a joy for our team and clients alikeThe freshly positioned CREC system for Data Hall 3, now sat on their pre-installed downflow plinths, ahead of full commissioningAnother view of the newly landed CRECs, ready to be commissioned and tested, after some final cooling containment works in the surrounding area(s)The rear of the newly landed CRECs, as the backside containment and connections are set to begin, along with the finalisation of initial air filtrationOnce the final infills and containment tasks are complete, the primary cooling system will be ready to commission and test in full, including soak testing
After completion of the under floor works, overhead works (not shown here), and a few other ancillary actions to ready the space, we rolled in the racks and installed the containment systems for each pod.
Phase 2 works complete
Here we see Data Hall 3 completed and commissioned, with the first client systems due for deployment imminently, including expansion projects for existing customers, as well as new clients who have had space in reservation.
Data Hall 3 sits on the ground floor, next to the ground floor breach into the new extension (Phase 3), the door to which sits behind the temporary hoarding seen here – Data Hall 6 will be located just beyond this new ground floor accesswayThe completion of Data Hall 3 brings the Phase 2 deployment schedule at London East to an endThe temporary obscuring vinyls on the glass vision panels within the entrance doors have now been removed, signalling total completion of the spacePod 1 within Data Hall 3, now complete and ready to receive pre-reserved client systemsPod 2 shown as completed, which is also ready for new client deploymentsA view across from Pod 2 to Pod 1, with some of the power distribution on show in orange, along with the supplementary CRACsThe B-side ODF can be seen on the left here, which will handle all B-side connectivity distribution for client deployments within this new spaceA view down the full run of CREC units, now delivering controlled cooling to both containment pods at the highest possible levels of efficiencyAs with all other data halls within the active side of the facility, both pods each contain 28 pre-deployed rack footprints, with Pod 1 holding all of our segregated rack options (quarter and half racks)The inside view of each containment pod shows the floor grills, which will be adjusted as the hall fills, along with key monitoring systems, including temperature, humidity, pressure and particulatesThe A-side ODF sits alongside Pod 1, mirroring the B-side ODF alongside Pod 2 shown previouslyThe backside view of the cooling system post-commissioning, in a spun down state here (hence the closed intake louvres), with completed plumbing and drainage shown
We’re extremely proud to have reached full available capacity within the currently active data centre footprint at London East, following our initial build in 2020-2021 and subsequent modular deployment schedule.
We look forward to welcoming a whole host of exciting new clients into this space, and can now focus our build efforts back towards Phase 3, which will see the onlining of Data Hall 5 in 2026, along with a range of new facility amenities for clients and staff to enjoy.
Keep your eyes peeled for further Phase 3 updates soon, along with a big announcement about further expansion at London East beyond 2026.
We’re extremely excited for you to meet our Junior Engineer, Lee Smith.
Lee joined us in late 2024, and works as part of our in-house engineering team, under the expert guidance of our Engineering Manager, Josh.
Lee is currently working towards his Level 3 NVQ in Electrical Installation, AM2 and Level 3 Initial and Periodic Inspection and Testing qualifications, which we’re very proudly supporting him through as he garners extensive real-world experience in the highly technical data centre sector.
Lee is also on route to becoming an Approved Gold Card Electrician.
A team player through and through, Lee is always happy to lend a helping hand, regardless of the task at hand. This is a fundamental core principle of success at Netwise, which makes Lee the perfect fit as we continue to expand our team.
Furthermore, Lee is a welcome injection of youthful energy within the organisation, and has slotted into the wider team dynamic perfectly since joining us.
You’ll find Lee working as part of our engineering team, seen here with Josh as they work on control cabling runs for Data Hall 3
Our in-house engineering team is a vital component within the Netwise machine, particularly as we continue to expand and develop our London East facility. Lee has already proven an invaluable asset in this work, contributing across many areas of our various ongoing projects, and building his assessment portfolio as a result.
Lee is gaining extensive and varied experience on his journey to full qualification, working across a range of areas within the Netwise ecosystem
Following Lee’s successful probation period, we’ve expanded our vehicle fleet to provide him with his own Netwise van, which will be used in support of our ever-expanding operation.
By designing, building and maintaining our facilities in-house, we’re able to more completely support the growth and development of our varied team, resulting in a level-up on skillsets across the board – we’re excited to see Lee grow and develop with us here at Netwise.
You can expect to see Lee working as part of the engineering team across our core infrastructure, as well as in the field, getting hands on with the systems responsible for keeping your business online 24×7.
Phase 2 development works have picked up at our London East facility in the early stages of 2025, as we prepare to bring Data Hall 3 online. This will be the final hall as part of Phase 2, before full focus turns to our main expansion project, which will see the addition of Data Halls 5 and 6 – this will be Phase 3.
Phase 3 is already underway – starting in early December 2024 – and will run in tandem with the final stage of Phase 2. You can see our Phase 3 posts published so far here on our build blog.
As Data Hall 3 will be the final hall to be onlined in the current side of the building, we’re expecting a somewhat speedy deployment schedule, given that many aspects of the fit-out process were completed as part of the Data Hall 4 schedule. As Data Halls 3 and 4 share the ground floor, there were certain deployment synergies which allowed for progress on both halls at the same time, much like upstairs with Data Halls 1 and 2. This approach will carry over to Data Hall 5 and 6 in the new expansion, as part of the Phase 3 schedule.
Earlier Phase 2 Works
Here are some photo updates, starting with the primary cooling system upgrade works for each active data hall, which happened in mid-2024:
One aspect of Phase Two involved the upgrading of our CREC systems in all active data halls, moving from four live coolers in each hall to sixThis part of the Phase Two development schedule involved deploying six new CRECs across the three active hallsThis upgrade to the primary cooling system in each hall comes as a result of growing load in each of the spaces, as each active hall meets or approaches capacityHere we see the view from the cold corridor in Data Hall 1, as the new coolers are prepared for commissioning in mid-2024Here we see the cold corridor in Data Hall 2, with the new hot air extraction system in place for exhausting non-return hot air from Data Hall 4We also increased the number of intake vents and first-stage filters in all data halls, to handle the increased throughput of the upgraded CREC system in each live hallAs part of the upgraded primary cooling system in each data hall, additional control system cabling has been installed as part of the commissioning works, which has enabled a greater degree of system-wide interplay and monitoringAll data halls now have water meters in place to enable the measurement of WUE metrics, which sit alongside PUE metrics as important measures of efficiency and sustainability – water supply capacity has also been increased
Later Phase 2 Works
We can now take a look at more recent build progress in Data Hall 3:
One of the first elements of installation focus for Data Hall 3 centred around the power distributionBoth A and B feed power distribution boards have been situated (along with the separate dual-fed mechanical board), with termination of the main feeds to followHere we see the checker plate wall protection install underwayHere’s a wider view of works underway inside of Data Hall 3, with overhead flood-cabling in progressBoth ODF A and B have been installed at this stage, along with all supporting cable containmentThe view towards the back of the hall, where the primary cooling system will be situated – the intake vents can be seen pre-cut, with temporary insulated blocks inserted until ready for filter frame installationSome of the custom (and rather intricate!) multi-level containment work can be seen underfloor here, designed and installed by our expert in-house electrical teamAll containment is handled ahead of flood cabling and termination, which is set to begin very soonThere are fully diverse containment routes flowing around the entirety of each data hall sub-floor, to ensure the maximum level of compliant power delivery to each client rackData Hall 3 has a matching power delivery system to that found in Data Hall 4, which came online in the summer of 2024 – this was an evolution of the power delivery system design deployed in the first floor Data Halls (1 and 2)A view across Data Hall 3, as work on the under floor infrastructure continuesTerminations within the main distribution boards 3 are well underway hereHere we see the supplementary CRACs under commissioning within Data Hall 3, after positioning on their custom plinthsAs part of the CREC system installation for Data Hall 3, modifications are being made within the cold corridor in Data Hall 1, as part of the hot air extraction systemThese modifications will ultimately result in a matching setup as seen previously in this post, which now functions across the Data Hall 2 / Data Hall 4 extraction pairingAdditional intake filters will also be added to the Data Hall 1 cold corridor soon, as part of the Phase 2 finalisation worksOn the topic of filters, here we see the cold corridor within Data Hall 2, as a full filter change is undertaken – this includes main intake filters (seen here), along with all internal cooler filters, wet pads, and the final cold air exit filters, all of which are contained within the CREC wallThe CRECs and associated filters have arrived, ready for installation within Data Hall 3
This has been quite a significant update post, given that it covers Phase 2 works spanning back to mid-2024. This phase will see the completion of all deployable data hall space within the active side of Netwise London East, which will reach completion ahead of the active Phase 3 works.
We’re now in the closing stages of Phase 2; Data Hall 3 will be onlined and ready to receive incoming customer deployments in the next few months. We’ll be providing final Phase 2 build blog updates as this work reaches completion.
Phase 3 will continue alongside these final Phase 2 works, however internal focus is now firmly on getting Data Hall 3 ready for occupation.
As we enter Q2 2025, development works continue at Netwise London East, with many additions to relay in this latest edition of our build blog.
Some internal engineering focus has now shifted back to the closing stages of Phase 2, with the roll-out of the final data hall within the active side of the facility (more on this very soon), however the completion of the initial envelope works schedule – as part of the Phase 3 expansion – is still pressing towards finalisation.
Here are the latest updates:
A bulkhead has now been installed along the front of the new mezzanine, to close off the otherwise open edge between the ground and first floor wall systemsThe new bulkhead not only creates a more pleasing finish, but also adds further fire and bash protection to this surface – this will be further bolstered in the loading dock areas to allow for easier forklift access for heavy goods and plant / materialsOn the topic of forklifts, we’ve added a second to our fleet, with another Linde unit capable of heavier lifts and greater reachThe warehouse and loading bay in the facility expansion has far more pallet racking, which is also taller than that within the current loading bay areaThe pallet racking has since been built out further, with additional bays and rear overspill protection – we have a custom infill section coming soon, to sit in the gap presently seen on the left hand side hereThere have been additional breaches made to existing block walls, as we create a new route between the NOC / office space and the technical spaces within this area on the first floorThe new route creates an open pathway for staff working in this side of the facility – doors, glazing and access ramps will be added later to finish this routeHere is the view from the new front NOC / office within the expansion space, with larger, free-flowing double doors to be installed in place of the previously existing single doorway, which will be infilled with a new glass panelThis is the view through from the NOC / office in the front of the building, looking through to the new office and meeting spaces on the first floorHere we see the newly mounted loading dock doors for the ground and first floorsThe checker plate wall protection has been installed to match that within the active side of the facilityThe cable route breaches have been cut and lined, ready for cabling and eventual fire protection later in the project – these are the B-side power and supplementary AC routes for Data Hall 6The checker plate on the ground floor continues through to the rear corridor, which connects through to the new power servicing areaThe adjacent corridor leading to the power servicing area, seen here clad with its checker platingThe checker plate throughout the facility has been installed to a datum line set based on the raised floor installation (as have the doors), which will come later in the projectThe view across Data Hall 6, which is being used for equipment and material storage at present, showing the flanking checker plate cladding now in placeThe four individual rooms that make up the new power servicing area have custom access panels installed to allow for access behind the rear wall system – these are both fire and high security panelsHere is a view of the new main entry door installed in Data Hall 5The same view inside of Data Hall 5, following the checker plate installation on the flanking wallsThe checker plate is from a continuous production run, meaning we have secured a pattern-match between individual panelsThis is one of what will become a twin door access route through to the cold corridor in Data Hall 5 (which is why this has been set back slightly) – this will be a fire exit route, as well as a general ease-of-flow route on the first floor, which will also be a soundproofed barrier with twin doors and drop sealsThis is the view of the first floor corridor, as final trims are prepared, and ahead of checker plate installation – the new cable route breaches have been made here, ahead of liningThis is the view to the first floor breach point between the extension project and the active side of the facility, which has now been blocked off with the new wall system, ahead of the final interlink doorway being cut and fitted in due courseHere we see the completed side run of new security fencing, ahead of the final razor wire fitmentA view of the same side run, looking towards the front of the facilityThe rear run connects in with our existing run along this side of the facilityThe razor wire will be installed next, along with the full front facing run of fencing, which will include an additional turnstile and automated vehicle gateOur secure perimeter mixes a range of systems and technologies to create an extremely robust protected boundary around our facilitiesThe new external PTZ cameras that give an overview of the perimeter are now installed and live on our integrated security system, already giving our team full perimeter visibility and motion tracking at this early stage of the project
The forthcoming works schedule includes completion of the perimeter fencing (including the new turnstile and automated vehicle gate), the cutting and fitment of the final interlink doorways, the installation of early stage cable containment across the entirety of the new space, the installation of the new water feed system(s) for our primary evaporative cooling architecture, and a host of additional preparatory work as we wrap up the first stage of the envelope installation.
We’re also taking delivery of the new UPSs, cooling systems, and switchgear, as we look ahead to the largest aspect of the project, that being the commissioning of the main service utilities.
Update three of the London East expansion project shows great progress on the envelope works, during which time we’ve seen the two spaces breached to become one single building – an early but poignant milestone for the project.
The various doorways have also been rough-cut into position ahead of final finish cuts – and being raised to finished floor height – allowing the real-world flow of the space to be experienced for the first time.
Here are the photo updates:
The wall panels which form the main first floor corridor make for an imposingly tall space at this stage, ahead of the raised floor and ceiling installation in due courseThe main corridor on the ground floor sits directly below that of the first floorThe second corridor on the ground floor leads to the power servicing rooms, sitting perpendicular to the main corridor run, with some doorways now rough-cut in here (to slab, for access)The shell of Data Hall 6 on the ground floor is an ideal place for the storage of materials, prior to useAnother view across Data Hall 6, looking towards the main entrance of the hall – this leads into the main access corridor, and through onto the loading bay, which is just visible hereThe doorways have been rough-cut to enable access at slab and deck level, ahead of final cuts and installation at their finished heights (accounting for the raised access flooring)The main first floor corridor connects the expansion to the current live footprint, providing access to the new data halls, as well as onward access to the amenities within the new spaceHere we see the installation of the walls which will form part of the cold corridor area within Data Hall 5, as trim finishes also begin to see installationThe area to the side of Data Hall 5 will be home to new offices and a high specification meeting room – the far end wall visible here, at the end of the first floor corridor, will be the breach point location for this floor, connecting into the live side of the facilityThere will be another corridor positioned here for access to the three rooms on this end of the building, however as this will be entirely glazed, this will be installed further into the projectHere we see the two ground floor corridors as captured from their intersection point – this location is also home to another breach, into the ground floor of the front-of-house areaThis view of Data Hall 5 shows the initial shell close to completion, ahead of doors, floors and ceilings – some of this will follow later, as there will be a significant round of containment works due ahead of thenData sheets have been placed around the facility to aid in the installation of the door sets, as well as the datum lines for finished floor heights and checker platingThe back end of the ground floor is home to the new UPS and power distribution rooms, as well as the new service corridors for cable route managementOne of the next modifications to the new wall structure will be the cutting of any required cable penetrations between rooms and floors
We can now look at the breach works, which were definitely a significant milestone on-site:
The hoarding installed within the ground and first floor corridors (within the active side of the facility) have since been over-clad with more attractive covers – these serve as dust penetration protection, and can act as temporary routes into the new space during the buildHere we see the breach of the ground floor, which sits behind the hoarding visible on each floor of the active facility – all cuts at this stage are ‘roughed in’, ahead of final cutting and flashing, and of course the installation of double doorsHere’s a view of the first floor breach underway – the building steels require modification here, which involves the installation of a fully custom steel frame insertThe horizontal building steel seen here, which forms part of the fabric of the building, will be cut away, with a full replacement steel frame to be installed in its placeA view of the first floor breach, as seen from the new office area, with the entrance to Data Hall 5 on the left, and the first floor loading access door on the rightThere will be a full timelapse of the entire envelope installation – from empty space to finished shell – coming later in the projectWhile slightly obstructed from view here, the new end-to-end corridor runs, following the breach works, are certainly impressiveHere we can see the new steel reinforcement frame in place, as seen from the ground floor breach location – the finished raised floor and ceiling, along with the checker plate, is visible on the other side of the breachThe new steel frame sits within a very tight space – between the two mezzanine structures on each side of the facility – and uses a combination of bolted fixings and welding to marry into the buildingThe top of the new frame can be seen here on the first floor, along with the various required repairs to the block wall, now that the installation access requirements are complete – this will all be hidden behind new wall panels and flashingsThis is the view from the existing ground floor corridor, through the temporary hoarding, into the new ground floor corridorThe view is quite impressive, and gives an idea of the forthcoming scale of the expanded siteThere are two further block wall breaches within the build schedule – this is the third, which connects the ground floor corridors to the reception area, and additional office spaceThe other side of this third breach shows the door installation underway, at raised floor height – there will be many further modifications to make to this side to reach completion, including stairs and a ceiling well
Here are some additional shots from around the site:
The side return yard of the new expansion space is large, and will house extended parking, as well as required plant equipment for the new data halls – this will of course be fully enclosed with new perimeter security, to match that of the existing spaceThe window manifestations have been installed on all relevant panels, to match the active side of the facilityThe new reception area on this side of the facility will primarily serve as a staff entrance, with the main entrance for clients remaining on the current side of the siteThe corner profile of the new expansion shows the full-wrap access that this side of the facility is affordedAll of the ground floor window manifestations are installed, including black-out manifestations on windows covered by new internal walls towards the rear half of the space – some of the comfort cooling and fresh air system equipment can be seen here
As expected, progress continues at great pace at this stage in the project, in tandem with Phase 2 works on the active side of the facility (more to come on that soon).
