An Australian data center specialist said it is building the nation’s first large-scale data center facilities using direct air-side economizers.

Metronode, part of contracting and project group Leighton Contractors, said it is installing a number of new modular data centers around the country to help meet demand for energy-efficient operations, at an expansion cost of AU$100m.

 

The company already has data centers in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and now, using modular construction methods and technologies devised by Metronode and UK modular data center company BladeRoom, is hoping to quickly expand its footprint in Perth, Melbourne and Canberra.

 

It also hopes to build out more data centers in Sydney, Wollongong (to Sydney’s south) and Adelaide, in South Australia, in the next six months.

 

Metronode general manager Malcolm Roe the modular design will halve Metronode’s standard deployment time and reduce its PUE.

“The programme will see one of Australia’s first large-scale data center facilities using direct air-side economizers as well as an innovative modular construction method, halving the stand time for a new facility,” Roe said.

 

“The total technical space for these facilities will reach approximately 15,000 sq m when at full capacity, all of which will be state-of-the-art in terms of energy efficiency and in line with the Uptime Institute’s Tier 3 design standard.

 

BladeRoom modular data centers can offer a PUE of 1.04 standalone.

 

Metronode said it will now represent BladeRoom’s operations in Australia. It said it can provide modular gas cogeneration facilities to increase energy efficiency with the solutions.

 

The data centers will be partly built in the UK and shipped to Australia. (Keep an eye out over coming weeks for images showing

BladeRoom’s Australia-bound data centers under construction, and being shipped.)

 

Leighton Contractors, Metronode’s parent company, has carried out a number a large Australian data center builds, including projects for the Australian Department of Defence, Optus and Westpac.