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West Data Center, Fidelity Investments
Confidential Location, Midwest
On demand.
A modular approach balances growth and investment.
Predicting the future.
A prominent financial institution approached HED for help resolving a challenge common to many data center clients: accurately predicting and preparing for future capacity needs without overspending in the present. While the client’s models predicted a need for quadruple the operating power of their current data center over the next ten years, when and how this growth would occur remained unclear.

To resolve this challenge, HED devised a modular, scalable approach with the ability to add IT capacity in 1MW blocks up to 8MW in six phases delivered in under six months per phase. Building on demand would enable our client to quickly ramp up capacity to accommodate anticipated growth as it occurred rather than committing at the outset to a larger facility that might be underutilized for years. Planning of the building and site was for the ultimate capacity.

This approach ensured that our clients’ investment aligned with real-time growth, enabling them to invest at a pace that reflected their present needs, while planning for future needs in a scalable and flexible manner; smaller or larger increments could be employed.

At present, the original IT capacity projections have not been realized. Should significant growth arise in the future, however, expansion plans remain in place to accommodate increased space and capacity needs when needed.
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Results
The new LEED Gold facility is located on a greenfield site.
Both conventional and prefabricated construction techniques were employed to provide flexibility.
IT capacity can be added in 1.0MW increments, with a total capacity of 8MW in a 2N configuration.
The modular design ensures that future expansions will not disrupt ongoing operations.
A low-profile mass set into the natural terrain topped with a vegetated roof blends into the landscape meeting the client’s goal for a secure, private facility.
By leveraging a local aquifer to cool water-cooled IT equipment and base building HVAC system over 24,000 gallons of potable water is saved each year.
Gray water was saved and used for irrigation of the vegetated roof and toilets.
The sum of all energy-efficient strategies saves 92,108 MMBtu annually— the equivalent energy to power 2,400 typical US homes for a full year.
The data center is designed to operate at an efficient annual PUE of less than 1.3.
The generators are EPA Tier 4 using best available emissions controls to minimize the impact on the environment.
A modular approach balances growth and investment.
West Data Center, Fidelity Investments
Confidential Location, Midwest
PROJECT DATA

LEED Gold

2015

On demand.