Project Fox

Project Fox – T4 Data Centre

Our group company ‘OPUS Consulting’ were appointed by Dornan Engineering to undertake Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management services during the design and construction of banking giant Santander’s project to build 2 No. tier 4 data centres, worth in excess of £100 million.

Each centre has approximately 160,000 sq.ft of floor space. Both buildings have four levels, two of which will be below ground level (subterranean) to contain the computing equipment, whilst the upper two levels will house the Mechanical and Electrical infrastructure.

According to information-age.com, an assessment of the “Project Fox” data centres’ energy consumption revealed that “the efficiency of server components will be procured to allow them to operate at high temperatures. This has the knock on [effect] such that it is able to operate in free cooling mode …for around 95% of the year.”

The project also utilised ‘Hybrid adiabatic’ low energy coolers to provide the main cooling for the data halls, which would be supplemented by traditional chillers in the summer months.

Dornan’s scope of work consisted of:

  • Chilled water pipework and pumping systems
  • CRAC (Computer Room Air Conditioning) units
  • Chillers and coolers
  • Public health systems
  • HV/LV electrical installation and controls
  • Small power installations
  • New site power distribution systems
  • Pumped waste systems
  • 3D model co-ordination

Lead designer Hurley Palmer Flatt describe the project further with their own scope of work;

  • The development consists of two identical buildings, each hardened to meet stringent security and engineering requirements, with an IT load of circa 5.4MW capacity at 1800 W/m 2
  • Specialist water proofing and bomb blast designs were employed to ensure building security both for below and above ground requirements
  • Appointed as lead consultant responsible for the entire design team, disciplines include – M&E, public health, architectural, structural, civil, fire, security, LEED assessors, CFD, PUE, transport, ecology, archaeology, landscape
  • The appointment is extended to our Energy and Sustainability department who have been provided with a brief to obtain a LEED Gold rating for the facility and our new security department.

A link to Information Age’s article can be found  HERE


Project Information

  • Client : Santander
  • OPUS client : Dornan Engineering
  • Value : £130M
  • Main Contractor : Mace

Our role

OPUS were appointed to provide a full quantity surveying and commercial management service for the entire Project Fox project duration. From design and pre-construction pricing and procurement, contract administration and valuations through to practical completion of the works (circa 2.5 years).

Services included;

  • Contract administration
  • Monthly valuation and final accounts
  • Procurement
  • Cost control and commercial reporting
  • Subcontract accounts
  • Claims and EOT preparation