Gold-standard Data Center

by Jonathan McGaha | 30 September 2012 12:00 am

Facebook[1] is one of the most popular websites in the world, and its new data center in Prineville, Ore., is the first wholly owned and operated by the company. Considered a key corporate asset in today’s data intensive economy, data centers house a company’s computer systems and supporting infrastructure.

 

Prior to building the new Prineville Data Center, Facebook leased space from various data center providers. The new freestanding center is one of the most energy-efficient ones ever built, and the company’s first LEED Gold certified building.

 

Similar in spirit to the social network’s website, the data center has a simple and minimalist design. Its exterior is clad in nearly 50,000 square feet of T2630 metal wall panels from Metal Sales Manufacturing Corp.[2], Louisville, Ky., that perfectly complement its neutral-colored concrete and surrounding landscape. The 24-gauge steel panels are exposed direct-fastened with 30-inch-wide coverage and have an Acrylic Coated Galvalume finish. Not meant to be showy, the energy-efficient building’s exterior features a clean and functional façade. The only hint that the building serves one of the busiest websites in the world-housing tens of thousands of Facebook’s servers, which contain information for its 800 million users-is the single blue flag displaying the iconic Facebook logo outside the entrance.

 

A row of generators that will provide power to the facility if commercial power is interrupted is housed on the side of the structure. Approximately 15,000 square feet of Metal Sales’ customized T2630 perforated wall panels create a screen wall that provides controlled access to the year. The 0.050-aluminum panels are coated on each side with Metallic Silver PVDF (Kynar 500) paint, and its pattern facilitates ventilation for the diesel-fueled generators. Metal Sales worked with the project team to develop a panel with 52.94 percent open area for ventilation that still provided the structural integrity needed for the screen wall.

 

“I am impressed with Metal Sales’ ability to customize a product that meets the specific requirements of the Facebook Data Center Project,” says Jim Stedman, president of Stedman Sheetmetal Inc., Redmond, Ore. “The panels surrounding the generator yard had to meet strict specifications. Metal Sales was able to work with the design team to create a customized panel that satisfies these requirements.”

 

Completed in spring 2011, construction on a second identical Prineville Data Center began that fall. Facebook will have additional data centers in North Carolina and Sweden. Metal Sales has been specified for the North Carolina data center, currently under construction.

 

Facebook Prineville Data Center, Prineville, Ore.

 

Metal installer: Stedman Sheetmetal Inc.[3], Redmond, Ore.

Architect: Sheehan Partners[4], Chicago

General contractor: DPR Fortis Mission Critical, a joint venture of DPR Construction[5], Redwood City, Calif., and Fortis Construction[6], Portland, Ore.

Metal wall panels: Metal Sales Manufacturing Corp., Louisville, Ky., www.metalsales.us.com[7].

Photo copyright: Jonnu Singleton Photography

Source URL: https://www.metalconstructionnews.com/articles/gold-standard-data-center/

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