Building sufficient data center infrastructure is a challenge across Europe. According to Savills, new construction sites need to double by 2025 to keep pace with new users, highlighting why it is so important to get the initial build right. Data center workloads increased by 260% between 2015 and 2021, and with this trend set to continue, it’s confusing why key parts of the build and commissioning process, including the flue, are often overlooked.

Crucial part of the build

The flue offers engineers the opportunity to design out potential problems during construction, alongside its essential use for owners and operators when uptime is threatened.

An example of why the flue is so important is Tier IV classification, which can only be achieved when a facility can prove a sufficient level of fault tolerance. The flue is central to this, as it allows backup generators to run smoothly in the event of a main outage.

This component is also a mission-critical part of any build, which is why making sure they are considered early on should be a high priority for decision-makers. If an inaccurate specification is made, or if a product is installed incorrectly, then this pushes back commissioning and risks a late handover to the owner or operator. This has the potential to cause huge reputational damage to businesses that often win work based on their good industry standing alone.

Choosing the right path

Despite their critical role in the operation of data centers, oftentimes flues aren’t incorporated properly into the build due to their cost. A “flue first” approach includes the flue in the building’s critical path, and can offer an alternative way forward in construction. Engaging a flue specialist early on means that problems are less likely to occur ahead of the eventual handover.

Despite their critical role in the operation of data centers, oftentimes flues aren’t incorporated properly into the build due to their cost.

Contractor clashes and remedial action are common if the importance of the flue is ignored. It is not unusual, for example, to discover that HVAC equipment or power cabling is sat in the place where the chimney is meant to be installed, causing issues and delays. A flue-first policy stops problems like these in their tracks from the get-go.

Correctly specifying the flue itself is a crucial step in successful data center projects. Moving this crucial decision to earlier in a build’s development allows for joint design between the OEM specialist and contractor while also providing sufficient time for testing. This is growing as data centers move closer to urban areas with lower latency. With research showing that outages are getting longer and more frequent, generators are now running for longer periods of time near residential areas. If chimneys don’t perform effectively, harmful fumes can be spread. Additionally, excess noise is created by backup power solutions. These are problems that data center operators should look to avoid.

The flue offers engineers the opportunity to design out potential problems during construction, alongside its essential use for owners and operators when uptime is threatened.

This is why the flue shouldn’t be overlooked in the data center construction process. Getting the flue right the first time helps negate multiple issues that could arise once the data center is operational, providing reassurance to both owners and operators. It also helps to provide a good level of redundancy if power was to fail, which, in turn, avoids expensive future remedial work.

By choosing to follow the critical path and consulting experts, contractors can design out potential problems at the beginning of a build. As a result, project stakeholders can be paid on time, freeing them up for other projects necessary to meet ever-growing data demand, while providing owners and operators with a more resilient facility.