Microsoft R&D lab in the vanguard of data centre greening

Stephen Withers
Monday, 17 May 2010 08:53

Business IT - Technology

A Microsoft facility has taken a different approach to housing and cooling a large number of systems.

There's an anonymous warehouse in Redmond Ridge. a mixed residential and light industrial area not far from Microsoft's main campus. Well, the structure was built as a warehouse, but when Microsoft leased the then-new building it immediately ripped out everything except for the external walls.

'Everything' included the concrete floor and the roof. Why were such drastic modifications needed? Microsoft was going to turn the building into what practically any other company would call a data centre, but is officially an R&D lab.

So much trenching would be required to accommodate conduits that it was easier to remove the old floor completely. That also provided an opportunity to lay a very flat and level floor to make it easier to roll equipment in and out. "It's an amazingly flat floor," said lab and systems planning manager Glen Beyer,

If you thought floors were simple, think again. Microsoft had to consider the release of heat from the power conduits to avoid outgassing which can have an adverse effect on the equipment at the ends of the conduits. The problem was solved by using the right backfill to conduct heat away from the conduits.

And the roof had to be replaced to accommodate the energy and water efficient air handling systems that would be installed - but more on that later.

Such extensive modifications to the structure suggest it might have been simpler to build from scratch, but getting the necessary approvals and permits for a new building would have significantly extended the project's timeline.

How long did the project take? Find out on page 2.