September 12, 2014October 7, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 35

Amongst various progressive tasks undertaken, this week has seen the first two air containment systems installed, which will form the cold aisles once racks are in position.

A look at the cooling stack framework broken down into kit form, ahead of assembly

Blanking panels installed in modular stack locations until use

Panoramic view of the two initial stack frameworks (without top wet box coolers) inside of cold corridor

Track installation around filter panels for cold containment

First containment panel installed in track

A look at the first pod containment system as it takes shape

Track installed around second pod ahead of panelling

Delivery of first Ziehl-Abegg extraction fans

First floor build room decorated, ready for fit-out

Power and network trunking installation under way in build room

Network run into trunking system

Trunking installation completed, with power and network installed

As you can see, with the technical elements of the data centre now being installed, the facility is rapidly turning from partial shell into a functioning data hall.

Once the elements which comprise the technical infrastructure of the data hall are installed over the coming weeks, it becomes a case of connecting the hall to the core network and power infrastructure to bring the space online.

September 5, 2014October 2, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 34

This week has seen our cold corridor and cooling system build out progress dramatically, with sensor driven lighting system and cooling unit frameworks being installed, ready for the main coolers and ductwork to follow suit. We have also run new power feeds to the roller shutters for loading bay access.

Infrastructure in place for lighting system ahead of cabling

Cabling installation under way along conduit backbone

Lighting system being installed along conduit

Stripped wet box cooling unit placed into corridor for framework testing

Beginnings of the cooling stack framework construction for stack one

Test fitting of the bottom wet box unit in cooler stack one

Safety measures installed on tanked floor thresholds between cold corridor and data hall

Plenty of progress has been made this week, particularly with regards to the cooling system installation. From opening, there will be two cooling stacks online, totalling four wet boxes. This gives 2N resilience on the cooling system for the two pods online from day one. Our modular design allows us to then liven up new stacks as required. Once both stacks are in their final positions, the duct work will be installed that will allow the stacks to feed the data hall.

We have taken some panoramic shots of the facility this week, something which we will be doing at regular intervals from here on out.

Data hall nearing completion panorama

NOC to board room panorama

Office area panorama

August 29, 2014September 26, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 33

Fantastic progress again this week, as we head towards September.

A look at the completed tanked flooring in the cold corridor

Flooring being laid in the first floor build room / server prep area

First floor build room with build workstations positioned for testing ahead of room decoration

First floor data hall flooring ready for installation

Anti-static interlocking floor tiles make for a highly robust technical space flooring solution

A look across the (currently congested) first floor data hall as works continue this week

Custom extended lift shaft door installed on first floor

Blanking panels installed on extraction outlets which will not be fully installed from opening date

The blanking panels seen above allow us to extend the cooling and extraction system as the facility capacity increases. The entire data centre has been designed to a fully modular standard, meaning new elements are installed and brought online as required. This includes generators, UPS’s and racks, cooling and extraction – every element of the technical space is modular. The cooling and extraction system will always be able to maintain 2N on the load, extended whenever we are reaching a capacity at which we deem additional resilience is required.

August 22, 2014September 23, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 32

Massive progress has been made over the past few days, with major leaps forward in the cooling system installation which means that technical systems are ready for installation imminently. Great progress has been made in a number of areas throughout the facility, which is always good for seeing the project come together more quickly as we reach the final furlong.

A look across the first data hall after the initial mist coating

Extraction holes prepared for 2N air extraction system

First air filter delivery on-site

Air filters installed in ceiling grid, for first cold corridor containment pod

Air filters installed in ceiling grid, for second cold corridor containment pod

Office-side structured cabling tied off ready for entry into patching cabinet

The first of an eventual 96 office and supplementary amenity / system ports

‘Tool-free’ termination on our Cat 6 cabling saves lots of time

Flooring in ground floor access corridors reached completion

Installation of our custom tanked floor begins in the cold corridor

Up-stands are installed in cold corridor access doors to allow for floor tanking

Installation of transitional edging is completed

Installation of top edging is completed

Floor covering is laid out in main data hall and provisionally cut to size

Floor covering is laid into corridor ready for gluing and fitting

Floor covering is glued to the subsurface

Flooring is cut to size and fitted to the edging

As is clearly visible, progress has been impressive over the past week, with serious headway made in a number of critical areas.

August 15, 2014September 12, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 31

As our first data hall reaches shell completion, and technical installations can begin in earnest, progress in the new facility is set to rocket towards completion, expected before Christmas this year.

Emergency lighting row installed into ceiling, along the main access run leading to cold corridor pods

Lighting and door installations reaching completion

First coat of weatherproof paint applied to inside of cold corridor

A look at construction works in the first floor data hall from the vision panels along the board room wall

Large cable delivery, weighing in at over 1,000kg

Earth cabling ready for installation, another few hundred kilograms

We have reached a pivotal stage in our progress this month (September 2014), as many of the tasks which have been required to push forwards with larger works are now completed. Although the state of the facility indicates to our readers that we are still deep in the middle of the project, we are in fact not that far away from having the first racks deployed in the data hall, ahead of building final elements such as cold corridor enclosures and finishing touches.