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.

August 8, 2014September 12, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 30

There have been dramatic leaps forward this week with regards to the first data halls readiness for technical installations. The ceiling has now been installed, creating the air plenum above which will handle the air in this first hall.

Zoning of overhead air plenum completed

Ceiling edging being installed around perimeter

Ceiling grid installation under way

The completed ceiling grid ahead of light placement modifications

Tiles in place after lighting modifications have been made to the grid

A view inside the air plenum, with the air handling apertures in view

Lighting boxes installed ready to for the light fittings to be installed into the grid

Another look inside the air plenum void ahead of lighting fitting installation

Fire doors being hung between the cold corridor and the data floor

We apologise for the grainy photographs; light in the data halls is now extremely limited, as they have been fully enclosed. This makes photography difficult until our lighting system is online.

August 1, 2014September 1, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 29

The cold corridor enclosure reached completion in terms of its structure this week. Apart from the installation of the cooling stacks, all that remains is to fit the louvred panels, decorate the corridor using climate resistant paints, and tank the floor with moisture resistant rubber.

Top of the corridor enclosure flown up to ceiling height

Internal face of corridor reaching completion

Enclosure insulation reaching ceiling

Internal face of corridor enclosure completed ahead of finishing

Delivery of Celotex reflective insulation to box in our ceiling lights to remove their volume from the overhead air plenum

Delivery of Celotex reflective insulation to box in our ceiling lights, removing their volume from the overhead air plenum

Filling completed ahead of sanding down

Air plenum zoning installed in ceiling, blocking out the large overhead ceiling windows with reflective Celotex insulation

A look across the data hall as plenum zoning reaches completion, and all natural light in the data hall is removed (once completed)

July 25, 2014August 21, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 28

Week 28 has seen further progress on the cold corridor enclosure, though focus has also been turned to other areas of the facility as various elements of the project near completion.

Rear wooden panelling completed around cooling apertures

A look at the wooden cladding on the rear of the cold corridor enclosure

Insulation fitted into cold corridor enclosure

First fireboard sheets being fitted to enclosure

First fireboard run completed on outer face of enclosure

First 3M fireboard sheets being fitted to inner enclosure wall

Upholstery completed on our custom NOC lounge seating

First carrier entering our Meet Me room, the first of many over the next few weeks / months

The cold corridor enclosure wall alone is comprised of over 3 tonnes of fireboard, which gives an indication of the sheer quantity of raw materials involved in building an entire data centre. Each 3 metre sheet is just shy of 50kgs.

July 17, 2014August 6, 2014 by Matt Seaton

London Central Build Blog – Week 27

The cold corridor enclosure has taken serious shape this week, which is the final piece of structural work to take place ahead of final decoration and technical installations in the data hall areas. It is fair to say that this is a highly complex structure, as its apertures have been designed to have very small tolerances, and must be positioned incredibly accurately to allow the cooling system to function as intended.

Both extraction and inlet apertures are different sizes, due to the design of air flow and pressure control in the facility. The positioning of the cooling stacks behind each set of apertures has been carefully designed to manage data hall air based on its position and its cooling load.

A look at the apertures designed into the cold corridor enclosure

The enclosure taking shape

A look down the lift shaft with completed fire-rated enclosure

A look up the lift shaft, with temporary cooling fan to move air between data halls

Cold corridor enclosure framework nearing completion

Wood panelling being fitted to inside of corridor space, for strength when mounting high speed fans

Frontal view of the enclosure as panelling takes shape, with a view of the apertures for air handling

A view inside the cold corridor, as wood panelling nears completion

A view of the enclosure wall from the data floor

The cold corridor enclosure is also having highly specialist cladding and wall coverings applied to it. While the face which is on show in the data hall will be made up of basic plaster boards, the internal surfaces are clad in mounting timber and dual function fire and moisture resistant board. The internal surface will also have a highly resilient paint applied for added resistance to the cold air that it will be processing.

No fans or ducting inlets / outlets will be on show in the data hall, as they all handle air in the plenum above the ceiling grid.