Mace Group

Secure in the knowledge

Mace was appointed as construction manager in January 2006 and work on site quickly got underway. 54 weeks later, Mace handed the facility over to the bank on time, within budget and to exceptionally high quality standards.

To facilitate the data halls, engineering systems and mezzanine structure, Mace installed a 350mm thick transfer slab on the ground floor. 1,200 tonnes of Bamtech carpet style reinforcement systems were used for this slab saving considerable time and resources compared to conventional reinforcement methods. In total more than 4,200m² (700 lorries) of concrete were delivered and poured within the complex and over 10 miles of structural steel was erected.

The external M and E plant areas were created to house the cooling and generation farms and the new 132kV sub station. More than 700 piles were used to support over 4,000 m² of steelwork plant decks and 7 metre high acoustic screens.

Within the building two 2,000 square metre data halls and associated plant were fitted out to house 576 cabinets. Mace utilised more than 3km of whitewall prefabricated partitions throughout the facility which were selected for their speed of installation and outstanding cleanliness and finish. The mechanical and electrical services installed to support the IT platform constituted an immense feat of engineering. In total more than 13km of prefabricated chilled water pipework and 500km of power cabling was installed during phase one to provide power and cooling to each IT cabinet. The main plant supporting the power and cooling systems consisted of 2N+1 air cooled liquid chillers, N+2 packaged generators, 2N+1 hybrid rotary UPS systems plus MV and LV switchpanels and chilled water distribution systems providing completely segregated twin paths of cooling and power to every cabinet.

The facility was handed over on 30th April after rigorous integrated systems testing. Only 4 snags remained outstanding, all the O&Ms were completed and signed off to 'A' status including 1,563 'as built' drawings and 80% of the trades final accounts were agreed and settled.

"Turning an industrial warehouse into a complex data centre was always going to be a demanding construction project. The complexities and speed of execution set by this project have been known from the outset. What has never ceased to impress me is how Mace has worked so incredibly closely to maintain focus in meeting the tasks ahead and to completing the project to these high standards."
The client (confidential)

Features:

• Over 700,000 hours worked - peak labour force 360
• Over 340 security cameras installed
• Over 600 change orders issued, costed and carried out
• 87% of all waste produced during the construction was recycled locally, including 20,000 tons of spoil that was excavated
• 950 tonnes of steel reinforcement used
• All site labour CSCS qualified.
• Enough power installed to power 10,000 homes from diverse routes
• Enough fuel for the standby generators to fill up 1,100 cars
• 450km of electrical armoured cabling installed.
• 300km of data cabling and 12km of fibre optic cabling
• Enough batteries for the UPS systems to start 2,500 cars
• Enough floor tiles to cover three football pitches
• 13km of chilled water pipework installed
• 3,000 linear meters of whitewall installed

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