Russell WBHO | Data Centre

Russell WBHO Data Centre Construction

With vast experience of constructing highly specialist facilities across the UK, Russell WBHO is the ideal partner for complex data centre projects. Working with our trusted supply chain, we have the skills and knowledge to construct data centres that maximise efficiency, sustainability and performance.

Partnering for Success

Russell WBHO is well known for the breadth of its project capabilities. This includes the construction of more than 1 million sq ft of temperature-controlled storage and distribution projects across the UK. Building on this specialist experience and in partnership with our strong supply chain, we have developed the expertise, knowledge and skills to design and build data centres of all sizes.

Recognising the extensive planning that is needed to construct these specialist facilities, we partner with our clients from the project’s outset to streamline delivery. This early engagement through the planning and pre-construction phase ensures a viable, budgeted programme that meets specific organisational needs.

Our long established, trusted supply chain brings tailored expertise to the table and assurance of project delivery. Working collaboratively with these experts, we design and develop critical mechanical and electrical infrastructure to maximise efficiency and sustainability. To support high performance IT, we also offer experience in the latest liquid cooling technology.

Data Centre Specifics

Our specialist skills have been deployed at the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Daresbury Laboratory, where we are building a new £30m supercomputing centre. On track to complete by early 2025, the project was awarded to Russell WBHO under the Crown Commercial Services Framework.

Our experienced team is managing the construction of the 33,000 sq ft building to house two data halls requiring an atmosphere maintained at 21-24 degrees. The steel-framed structure features composite cladding to form the external envelope. An office suite with ancillary facilities adds to our scope of works.

The new supercomputing centre will support the £210m Hartree National Centre for Digital Innovation (HNCDI) programme, a collaboration between STFC Hartree Centre and IBM that provides industry access to state-of-the-art digital technologies and expertise.

Home to some of the UK’s most advanced technologies in computing, data science and artificial intelligence (AI), the Hartree Centre’s supercomputing facilities are dedicated to industry applications. UK businesses can access specialist expertise and supercomputers, helping to accelerate productivity and reduce the time and cost of developing new products.

Project Highlights:

Maximising safety, the supercomputing centre is being constructed to exceed Building Control requirements.
Electrical services will deliver a high-density load of 2.5 megawatts with the capacity to expand up to 7.5 megawatts in the future.
By using the latest in liquid cooling technology, the facility can accommodate systems with a much higher heat flux.
An N+N redundancy arrangement for power and data provides a backup for every key component, ensuring no downtime if one element fails; this required extensive underground services routes to be carefully coordinated using 3D modelling information exchanges between the Russell WBHO design team and its partners.
State-of-the-art engineering systems have been designed with a high degree of controllability ensuring the ongoing operation can continue to be optimised and improved.