A server room or data centre has one job: keep the equipment in it running. We design and build server rooms and small data centres around the four things that make that possible: reliable power, enough cooling, organized cabling and controlled access. Our mechanical and electrical background means the room is planned as a building system, not just a set of racks.
Many server rooms started as a closet with a rack in it. Over time, more equipment arrives, the portable air conditioner works harder, extension cords appear, and nobody is quite sure how long the UPS will last. A planned room avoids those problems, and a well-documented one is far easier to run and expand.
What we design and build
- Room layout, including rack positions, hot and cold aisles, clearances, cable routes and space for growth.
- Power, including dedicated circuits, rack power distribution, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) sizing and integration with standby generators where present.
- Cooling matched to the heat load, with airflow management to keep supply and exhaust air apart.
- Structured cabling in copper and fibre, with overhead or underfloor pathways and clear labelling.
- Environmental monitoring for temperature, humidity, water leaks and power status.
- Physical security such as controlled entry and cameras, and coordination with fire detection and suppression.
How it works
- Requirements. We ask why the room is needed, what it will hold now and later, and how much downtime the business can accept.
- Site assessment. We review the proposed space, electrical capacity, existing HVAC, structure, fire protection and cable routes.
- Design. We prepare layouts, power and cooling calculations, cabling plans and a monitoring approach, and review them with you and the building's other consultants.
- Build. We install or coordinate racks, cabling, power distribution, cooling and monitoring. Electrical and refrigeration work is done by licensed trades.
- Commissioning and handover. We test power transfer, cooling performance and monitoring alarms, then hand over drawings, settings and test records.
Our leadership includes a mechanical engineering graduate and a Director of Engineering with more than 35 years in mechanical systems, so cooling loads, airflow and equipment clearances are treated as engineering questions from the start. We also plan for what happens when something fails: which loads stay up on the UPS, how long they can run, how staff are alerted and what they should do first.
What you get
- A design package with room layout, power and cooling calculations and cabling plans.
- A built room with racks, power, cooling, cabling and monitoring in place and tested.
- Commissioning records showing how the room performed during testing.
- As-built drawings and a simple operating record of key equipment and settings.
Codes and permits. Electrical, mechanical and fire protection work in a data centre is subject to the provincial electrical code, the building and fire codes and local permit requirements. Licensed contractors carry out the regulated work, and we coordinate it as part of the project.
Who it's for
- Organizations outgrowing a server closet or bringing equipment back from a hosted site.
- Building owners fitting out a main telecom room or MDF for tenants.
- Facility managers who need to understand the risks in an existing server room before something fails.
- Industrial and remote sites that need a protected room for control and network equipment.
Related guides
Data centre cooling and Data centre power and UPS explain the two systems that matter most. For the cabling side, see Structured cabling standards.
Common questions
Can you assess an existing server room?
Yes. We can review power, cooling, cabling and monitoring in a room that is already running, identify the risks and propose changes in an order that limits disruption.
Is building cooling enough for a server room?
Usually not on its own. Comfort cooling systems often cycle off overnight and on weekends, while servers produce heat around the clock. Most rooms need dedicated cooling sized for the equipment load.
How big a UPS do we need?
That depends on the connected load and how long the equipment must keep running: long enough to shut down safely, or long enough for a generator to take over. We calculate it from your actual equipment and goals.