30% of Data Centre Construction is Remedial Work

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• 30% of Data Centre Construction is Remedial Work

14 June 2023

A data centre industry paper reveals that oversights in construction have historically led to costly downtime.

The report, Flue First, raises concerns about incorrectly designed and installed fluing for backup generators. This could lead to overheating and system failure during grid outages.

With research from the Mediterranean Center of Social and Educational Research (MSCER) claiming around 30 per cent of data centre construction is remedial work, incorrect design and installation of building services is a disruptive and costly issue that could be avoided.

2023 Set to be a Record Year for Data Centre Growth

According to JLL data, 2023 will be a record year for data centre growth in Europe. The total size of the region’s leading data centre hubs of Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin (FLAP-D) is set to grow by 17 per cent year-on-year, with an additional 432MW of supply added. This year is also seeing strong demand for data centres, with 392MW of take-up expected, a 32 per cent increase from 2022.

With pressure on operators to deliver capacity to meet this growing demand, critical infrastructure malfunction-related downtime may not only lead to steep penalties for data centre operators, but also reputational damage for the construction and design teams involved.

Dean Moffatt, Technical Sector Expert at Schiedel, explains: “This paper aims to address the chimney blind spot in the industry by promoting a 'flue first' mindset, using insights from Scheidel's team of experts. It discusses the various factors that make correct specification crucial, outlines key considerations for contractors and architects, and provides a better understanding of what a successful installation entails.”

Picture: a photograph of a person holding a tablet showing the front cover of the Flue First report. Image Credit: Schiedel

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 14 June 2023

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