June 13, 2014July 7, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 22

Progressions have been made in the ground floor data hall and warehouse areas this week, with the installation of the hung ceiling and the lighting system.

The main lighting conduit installed above the ceiling void

A look at the junction points towards the front of the data hall, with the laser alignment tool in view

VOIP phone and key switch points in ground floor data hall

PIR motion sensors to control zoned lighting system in an ecological fashion

Cabling run into lighting rig conduit

Coiled lighting power cables ready for routing back to power distribution room

A look at the containment installations above ceiling void

A look up the developing lift shaft to the first floor data hall

Construction of shell continues on first floor

Tile installation begins in ground floor ceiling grid

Tile installation reaching completion

June 6, 2014July 7, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 21

Structural works in the first floor data hall are really taking shape now, with completion of the shell expected in the next two weeks. This will be a huge leap forwards in terms of site readiness, and will lead directly onto technical installations such as the cooling and fire suppression systems.

Our network technicians have also been hard at work pulling and terminating the structured cabling in the office / non-technical side of the facility.

Ground floor data hall as ceiling is installed below bulkhead

Completed ceiling grid in ground floor data hall

Delivery of materials for first floor data hall structural works

A look across the first floor data hall as works begin

Assembly of rear enclosure for air intakes beginning to take shape

The first floor windows are being replaced with custom made louvred panels

Customer access points ready for termination in Customer Lounge

Cat6a ready for termination using new tool-less technology

Top of lift shaft installed over first floor data hall entry point

A look across the first floor data hall as structural works progress

Weather proof board is used in ‘cold-corridor’ sections as cold external air will be processed and cleaned here

One of the side walls being fully enclosed

May 29, 2014July 7, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 20

Works on technical areas in the facility have begun in earnest this week, along with continued structural works such as the installation of our vast hung ceilings on both data floors.

Custom cable junction for exterior signage lighting

Cable basket installed to create data artery for non-data floor spaces

This section runs over the Customer Kitchen and will supply data to over 70 locations at the front of the facility

Installation of further tray to create paths back to our network core

Tray to link various arterial data paths

Basket to link various arterial data paths

One of 4x 500m Cat6a cable drums which will feed the front of the building alone

Temporary coiling of first 5 pair runs, before splitting away from the main artery

A look at the basket as it begins to fill with Cat6a cable

Reception door area prepared for access control systems

Brushed Netwise House signage in place above main entrance

With almost 2 kilometres of Cat6a cabling to supply the front house operations alone (discounting CCTV and access control, estimated at a further 2km), the scale of a data centre project comes into sharp focus. The technical spaces have been designed to be fully modular, which will limit initial cable runs on the data floors and allow for a scalable deployment of services over time.

We will keep updating our readers with progress snapshots as cable pulling reaches completion and termination begins.

May 23, 2014July 7, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 19

While structural works are finalised on the ground floor, the first floor data hall is having work done on its floor this week. The bulk of the work is preparative, in anticipation of the epoxy resin finish which will be applied once ready. After this has cured, the final structural works will be completed on the first floor ready for fit out.

Brushed stand-off sign for reception entrance

Fireproofing on the ground floor reaching completion

Beginning of floor filling to hide small gaps and screw holes

A small area with test / sample resin coat

Progress being made with floor filling

A closer look at joint and screw hole filling ahead of sanding

First pass sanding reduces joints and removes filler

First pass nearing completion

Sanding complete after second pass

May 16, 2014June 2, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 18

Before moving onto this weeks updates, below you will find a photograph of the new exterior signage with rear illumination. The wiring was completed early this week, meaning the sign is now fully operational.

Illuminated exterior signage

Structural works on the ground floor are now complete for this phase of the build project, apart from the ground floor man trap which is due for installation shortly. The fit out for the ground floor data hall will be picked up once the data hall on the first floor is nearing completion, as part of the facilities second phase build-out. All that remains for the ground floor technical space is a hung ceiling, decoration and flooring. The space will then have a divisional wall installed and the expansive area will become dry storage / goods-in until phase two is green lit.

Our team have also begun assembling the custom control units which will operate both primary and backup cooling systems in our off-data floor technical spaces, such as the Electrical Intake Room and Meet-Me Room.

Blank boxes ready for modifications

Some of the initial front-face components to be fitted to the units

A completed front panel with touch screen controller and master power switch

A downward look at the genie lift prior to modifications