This 23,300 SF facility is located on a 100-year flood plain and was built with “bunker-like” construction, no windows and its own separate and enclosed mechanical and electrical services. Three-phase power is provided to all computer equipment through central Uninterruptible Power System (UPS) units with back-up batteries.
The building is designed to withstand a Category F-2 Tornado (152 mph winds) with walls comprised of 12” blocks with reinforcing and grouted solid. The roof is composed of Ethylene-Propylene-Diene-Monomer (EPDM) fully adhered roofing system (which can withstand 120 mph winds) and two separate concrete slabs with the waterproofing system sandwiched between.
This facility is served by dedicated transformers, two main switchboards and twin distribution boards. The electrical system is backed up by three additional local 1,000 KW stand by generators which can support the entire building including all heating and cooling functions for approximately 120 hours before refueling the 15,000-gallon diesel storage tank. Grounding and lightning protection systems were installed for all equipment.
Addition/Expansion
After completing the new (above) data center in 2004, Granger was asked back in 2007 to construct a 23,800 SF addition on to the facility more than doubling its original size.
The addition employed the same “bunker like” construction used in the original facility including 12” blocks with reinforcing and grouted solid as well as an EPDM fully adhered roof system, both designed to withstand a Category F-2 Tornado (152 mph winds).
Protecting the facility and its contents from sabotage, espionage or data theft was a key component to this and the original facility. Features include a low profile design with limited entry points, an unmarked facility and numerous measures to ensure against unauthorized entry and security breaches.
In addition to the existing 15,000 gallon underground fuel storage tank, the expansion project added two 40,000 gallon underground fuel storage tanks yielding a total of 95,000 gallons of on-site fuel that can support the entire building’s electrical and mechanical loads for approximately three weeks before refueling is required.
The project also added a Flywheel Energy Storage System for additional redundancy to the UPS