Galliford Try Communications chose Weatherite Building Services (WBS) to install an air conditioning system for secure managed IT service provider, InTechnology, at its latest facility in Reading.
Maintaining the correct ambient temperature is vital to keep the 15,000ft2 of hosting space cool. WBS was responsible for the installation and commissioning of 20 fresh air, direct free cooling, high energy efficient air handling units (ahus), manufactured by sister company Weatherite Manufacturing. The units were designed to deliver 50kW net cooling capacity (N+1) to cater for the IT rack equipment loads of 2.9-3.2Kw, maintaining an enclosed cold aisle operating temperature of 24°C.

All units were supplied in down-flow configuration, constructed in four sections, for ease of site installation, sitting on purpose designed floor stands. Supply air was delivered via the common floor void for controlled air distribution via floor grilles into each row of rack modules.

The project included replacing the existing building windows with weatherproof louvres which, with rear ahu duct connections, enables the introduction of filtered cooling air, or via operation of control dampers exhaust of condenser air, for those rare occasions when the ahu internal refrigeration plant was required to operate in extreme ambient conditions. Further window louvres were fitted for automatic control of room pressurisation, fire integrity and security to permit a uniform external view of the office building.

Weatherite also installed condensate drains complete with protective water detection tape. These were connected to each ahu trend controller which also incorporated special software designed to meet the InTechnology's requirement for remote BMS monitoring of all operating parameters.

Reliability and performance were critical, but Weatherite's solution provided other significant benefits including PUE and CO2 reductions and capital cost savings. The self- contained modular ahus did not need any external plant space, while the underfloor infrastructure services requirements were limited to a power cable and condensate drain, which assisted in providing more space within the floor void for other IT power cable services and improved the airflow to cabinets.

Further mechanical services were provided by WBS including the air conditioning of the separate battery room to maintain their effective operational lifespan and a supply/exhaust fan ventilation system within the switchgear room as a cost effective solution to eliminate the effect of the UPS plant heat output.

The project formed part of InTechnology's strategic expansion program to improve its hosting, data and IP telephony service to both its existing base of over 800 UK businesses and potential new clients.