Sector 18 / 18

BIM for data centres

Data halls, cooling and power coordinated in the BIM model, from design to the as-built for operation.

At a glance

B1P Group works in BIM on data centres: BIM modelling of data halls and of cooling and power systems, coordination between disciplines and BIM management for data centre projects, and as-built models of data centres with the data needed for operation and maintenance. We work for designers, contractors and clients, at company and partner premises.

The sector

What do we do in a data centre?

A data centre is first of all a plant: power supply with continuity and redundancy, cooling of the data halls, fire detection and suppression, structured cabling and access control. We produce the BIM model of the data centre in Revit, for architecture, structure and building services, and coordinate the federated model: racks, hot and cold aisles, raised floor, cable trays, ductwork and pipework are checked before construction.

In data centre projects coordination matters as much as modelling: the space above the racks and under the floor is full of networks that must not clash, and every change to the halls changes the electrical and thermal loads. Through BIM management we set up and run the information flow between designers, contractors and client; at the end of the works the as-built model of the data centre records components, routes and data for operation.

Typical projects

New data centres and extensions
Data halls and equipment rooms
Cooling plants and plant rooms
Electrical substations, UPS units and generators
Data centres fitted into existing buildings

Rules and formats

Which rules apply to data centres?

Those of the project and of the client: the EN 50600 series on data centre facilities and infrastructures, ANSI/TIA-942 for cabling and topology, the availability classes required by the client (for example the Uptime Institute Tier levels), fire safety rules and electrical installation standards. The model does not replace them: it makes redundancy, clearances and routes verifiable, room by room.

Exchange takes place in IFC; for operation, component and system data are delivered in COBie or in the format of the client's management system (DCIM or maintenance). On sensitive assets the information security requirements of ISO 19650-5 also apply.

As-built model

What does the as-built model of a data centre contain?

The installed components with codes, locations and nameplate data: racks and power feeds, switchboards, UPS units, generators, cooling units, fire detection and suppression, cable routes. The data set is decided with whoever will operate the data centre, before handover.

When the construction model has been kept up to date, the as-built model is produced during the works; when it has not, we start from the laser scanning survey of the existing conditions and turn it into a BIM model, with the suppliers' documentation for the concealed parts.

Typical deliverables

What do we deliver?

Deliverables vary with the stage and the information requirements; these are the most common.

Phase	Handover	Who it is for
Mobilisation	BIM management: exchange information requirements or their review, BIM execution plan, coordination rules	Clients and designers
Design	BIM modelling of architecture, structure and building services; coordination of data halls, cooling and power; IFC	Designers
Construction	Construction-level models, phases and quantities from the model, coordination of variations	Contractors
Handover	As-built model of the data centre with component and system data, in COBie or in the client's format	Clients and asset operators

References

Why are there no project names here?

Projects in this sector belong to the clients: we do not publish names, locations or images of the assets. In our offers we list projects of the same type and, with the client's consent, someone who can confirm our work.

Why we do not publish our projects

Related services

Which services do we provide in this sector?

Frequently asked questions

The questions we are asked in this sector

Do you model the cooling and power systems of a data centre?

Yes, at construction level: cooling units, pipework, ductwork, switchboards, UPS units and cable trays, coordinated with structure, racks and the raised floor. The model carries the data needed for testing, acceptance and maintenance.

Do you provide BIM management for data centre projects?

Yes: we write or review the exchange information requirements, draw up the BIM execution plan and coordinate the discipline models in the common data environment, through to handover.

Do you produce the as-built model of a data centre that is already in operation?

Yes. We start from the laser scanning survey of the existing conditions, carried out by the appointed surveyor, or from the construction records, and support the client in BIM modelling from survey data, with the component data for operation; site visits to the data halls are arranged with the operator.

Contact

Do you have a data centre at the design stage or to document?

Tell us about the project, the stage and what has to stay in operation: we will tell you how we would set up the model and what we would deliver.

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