Unlike their early predecessors, today’s electronic trading floors demand reliable 24/7/365 mission critical support. Seeking close proximity to financial hubs and exchanges to spur low-latency transmission and expedite trades, these environments are typically attracted to middle-aged, urban high-rises. But, designed prior to the electronic age, most urban high-rises don’t have the MEP infrastructure to support such high-demand operations. A far cry from a trading floor’s 20 to 30 watts/sq ft requirement, a typical urban high-rise today offers just 5 to 9 watts/sq ft with cooling and space limitations to match. So, what’s a trading floor to do?
Negotiating with building management for additional electrical and mechanical resources typically fails due to existing building constraints or results in a high penalty for after-hours use. However, the allocation of additional space in a building’s mechanical room or on the rooftop may be all that’s needed. Using a single-source MEP and technology consultant can help turn even a small, back-of-house space into a fully-functional environment with the necessary robust infrastructure.
The Chicago branch of Bank of Montreal, Ontario (BMO) is a case in point. Before leasing the top three floors of the city’s 36-year-old Harris Bank building, BMO hired MEP and technology consultants Environmental Systems Design (ESD), Chicago, to evaluate the existing infrastructure and create a plan for the bank’s move-in.
In addition to the mechanical and electrical infrastructure upgrades needed for daily operation, the Bank bank had two additional requirements for its back-up support: (1) to maintain at least one hour on all computer systems in an effort to resolve pending trades or transactions; and (2) a minimum of two hours on the telecom side to complete phone calls and outstanding communications.
Using the initial building analysis, energy modeling, a thermal study, and creative engineering techniques, ESD designed the mechanical, electrical, and back-up systems infrastructure needed to support BMO’s high-performance operations prior to its move-in last year.