BRU01, the new data centre from Kevlinx Data Centers in Brussels, has officially achieved ‘Ready For Service’ (RFS) status. This means that all systems have been fully tested and validated and that the site is ready to support critical workloads. Equans was responsible for all technical installations in this project, from design to on-site implementation. The data centre is equipped with the most advanced energy and cooling solutions, resulting in significantly lower energy consumption than in a conventional data centre.
Equans’ contribution to the BRU01 data centre
- Complete power architecture: high, medium and low voltage, including transformers, generators and UPS systems
- Europe’s first 11 kV medium-voltage UPS in a data centre
- A comprehensive SCADA system for (energy) monitoring
- Advanced cooling
- HVAC, water mist fire protection, CCTV, access control and outdoor lighting
Responding to the rapidly growing demand for data centres in Europe
Over the past ten years, the European data centre market has grown enormously. So much so, in fact, that supply cannot keep pace with rising demand. A trend that, according to all forecasts, is set to accelerate as we begin to deploy generative AI on a massive scale. That is why Kevlinx Data Centers is developing a pan-European network of high-quality data centres in a select number of European growth markets. Last year, for instance, the new BRU01 data centre was built in Brussels, specifically in Neder-over-Heembeek, to serve customers in the Brussels-Capital Region.
Kevlinx Data Centers did not choose Brussels by chance, as our capital is also a global hub for fibre networks. With several motorways and Brussels Airport nearby, this also makes the data centre easily accessible.
More than just a tough challenge
The client, Kevlinx Data Centers, put out a tender for the construction of a Tier 3 data centre comprising eight data halls, each measuring 700 m²: four halls on the ground floor and another four on the first floor. In total, the data centre will be able to host 14.5 MW of IT load. Should this prove insufficient, a planning permission has already been obtained for a further 16 MW of additional IT load.
Designing and building a new data centre like this, starting from a blank sheet of paper, with all the advanced technologies involved in Tier 3, is a formidable challenge. But it is also right up Equans’ street. “We have unique expertise in the design, construction and security of IT spaces,” says Jeroen Derveaux, Department Manager DBFM & Data Centres at Equans. “We have now built over 30,000 m² of data centre space.”
All the expertise under one roof
The major advantage is that Equans has all the necessary expertise at its disposal. “We act as a single point of contact for the client. This means they can rely not only on the expertise of Equans’ various divisions, but also on the experience of the entire Bouygues Group, of which Equans is a part. This is also a key reason why Kevlinx Data Centers approached Equans.”
The Kevlinx Data Centers facility is a so-called ‘design and build’ project. To realise it, Equans set up a temporary partnership with Besix. Besix is responsible for the structural work and the site environment. Equans took charge of all the technical systems, both inside and outside. Everything included, except for the data equipment itself.
From design to completion
Whilst Besix was already hard at work on site, Equans was engineering all the technical systems. “This is something we can handle entirely in-house, thanks to the combined expertise available at Equans and Bouygues. This has enabled us to work extremely efficiently. But the fact that this is a ‘design and build’ project also offers significant advantages. We specialise in both aspects: both the design and the implementation of the technical systems. Together with Besix, we were involved in the project from an early stage. This creates maximum synergy, both internally and with all parties involved, throughout the entire project.”
A first in Europe
Equans delivered the complete power supply solution. From high voltage to low voltage, from low-voltage systems to safety systems. This included the basic infrastructure with a connection to Elia’s Buda substation (easily accessible, just 2 km away), generators, transformers, UPS units and all other equipment required for power distribution. That in itself is quite a challenge. But what is particularly noteworthy is that Equans also opted for a unique medium-voltage concept for this data centre.
“With medium-voltage switchgear, a very large SCADA system to monitor that switchgear, and for the first time in a project of this kind in Europe: medium-voltage UPSs at 11 kilovolts (kV), to ensure operational reliability in such a complex, demanding data centre. We have therefore deliberately chosen not to use low-voltage UPS units at 400 volts here. The building has a penthouse housing all the medium-voltage components. The generators are also located on the roof,” says Jeroen.
Maximum energy efficiency as a guiding principle
And that wasn’t all. “We are also responsible for the entire cooling system for the halls and technical rooms. This includes relatively new Excool units, which use outside air for cooling, and IAC units. In addition, we are responsible for the HVAC, the sprinkler system (a water mist system), fire safety, all outdoor lighting, access control and CCTV security.”
In terms of energy consumption, Kevlinx Data Centers is aiming for a PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) of 1.2. This means that for every 1 MW of IT load, the company aims to consume no more than 1.2 MW of electricity, including cooling. This makes the data centre exceptionally energy-efficient.
