Your data centre’s biggest vulnerability might not be digital. Uncontrolled air leakage can silently compromise fire suppression and cooling systems, putting your entire operation at risk.
Project Summary
- Client Type: Global Data Centre Providers & Construction Partners
- Property Type: New build and existing, operational data centres
- Service: Air Tightness Testing for building compliance and diagnostic reporting
The Challenge: The Critical Need for Air Tightness in Data Centres
For a data centre, air tightness is not just about energy efficiency — it’s mission-critical for safety and operation. But why?
- Gaseous fire suppression systems depend on a specific level of air retention to extinguish a fire effectively.
- Uncontrolled air leakage compromises cooling systems, leading to increased energy costs and the risk of contamination from dust and pollutants.
Whether it’s a 20-year-old facility with degraded seals or a multi-million-pound new build requiring regulatory sign-off, operators and construction firms face the constant challenge of verifying and maintaining air tightness.
Our Solution: Air Tightness Tests for Diagnostics and Compliance
Our team has extensive experience providing specialist air tightness testing for every type of data centre environment. All testing is conducted with the utmost discretion, respecting the security and confidentiality of each facility. We adapt our approach based on the client’s specific needs, as demonstrated in two recent projects:
1. Diagnostic Testing for an Ageing Facility
We were commissioned by a global data centre provider to assess a 20-year-old facility in the UK. The client was concerned that years of degradation had compromised the data hall’s integrity.
Our diagnostic test confirmed this, revealing an air permeability rate of approximately 31 m³/h/m² @50Pa— more than ten times the accepted standard for a modern data centre (a score of 3 m³/h/m² @50Pa). Our engineers conducted a thorough survey, using non-invasive methods to identify specific air leakage paths, including degraded floor-to-wall seals, unsealed cable penetrations, and significant gaps in the building’s eaves.
We compiled a detailed report with photographic evidence, providing the client with a clear roadmap for targeted, cost-effective repairs. This allows them to restore the integrity of their data hall, ensuring the effectiveness of their fire suppression system and improving thermal efficiency.
2. Compliance Testing for a New-Build Campus
Working with a major construction partner on a new, large-scale data centre campus in London, we were tasked with providing mandatory compliance testing for building control sign-off. The project required a phased approach, with multiple data halls needing to be individually tested and certified as they were completed.
Our efficient and precise testing process was integrated seamlessly into the construction schedule. We successfully used blower door air tightness tests to verify that each data hall met the air tightness requirements for compliance with Part L of the building regulations. This provided the construction partner and the end-user (a leading colocation provider) with the certified assurance needed to proceed with commissioning, confident that the multi-million-pound facility was compliant, secure, and efficient from day one.
The Outcome: Operational Integrity and Assured Compliance
Whether diagnosing issues in a live environment or ensuring a new facility meets compliance before handover, our work provides clients with certainty. Our detailed reports and clear pass/fail certification allow data centre operators and construction firms to mitigate risks, guarantee safety, and run their critical facilities with maximum efficiency.
Specialist Air Tightness Testing for Data Centres
Whether you need a pass certificate for a new data hall handover or a detailed diagnostic survey to identify leakage paths in an operational facility, our team has the expertise to deliver. We provide fast, accurate, and reliable air tightness testing for data centres across the UK.
Confidentiality Assured: We understand the sensitive nature of data centre operations. All our services are performed under strict confidentiality to protect our clients’ operational integrity.
Get in touch to schedule a test or to get a quote for your data centre project.
Related Content