Gulf Construction Online - Flexible systems key to region’s digital future

Manufacturers & Procurement

Vortex, a hybrid fire suppression system.

Flexible systems key to region’s digital future

One of the fastest growing markets for fire protection systems in the Gulf is the data centre industry, where ease of installation, consistency of design, reliability, and flexibility are all highly prized, says GRAEME LEONARD, EMEA Division Manager – Fire Protection at Victaulic*.

01 March 2024

The Middle East data centre market is growing at a remarkable rate, driven by increasing internet usage, the expansion of 5G networks, and ambitious smart city initiatives, supported by digital technologies. This burgeoning demand for data storage and processing power is propelling major investments into the region’s digital infrastructure, with the data centre market expected to double in size from $12.3 billion in 2024 to a staggering $28.2 billion by 2029.

The UAE is currently the largest data centre market among the GCC countries, thanks to its well-established fibre broadband network, the ease of obtaining construction permits, and plethora of smart city projects. However, Saudi Arabia is emerging as the fastest growing market, fuelled by the government’s landmark $18 billion strategy, launched in 2021, to establish a nationwide network of large-scale data centres.

Fire protection is a vital part of the design and construction of data centres. It’s also an important segment of Victaulic’s work: its systems are now protecting over 1,300 exabytes of data. If you’re asking yourself what an ‘exabyte’ is, you’re probably not alone – the term exabyte, which has only existed for a couple of years (again, another reflection of the rapid growth in the data market), is equivalent to one billion gigabytes (GB) or 500 trillion sheets of printed paper!

Unique requirements

Fires in data centres are rare, yet the consequences are huge. Damage that causes a loss of functionality can have significant negative impacts on businesses and communities across a wide area. Because of this, delivering fire protection to data centres demands a unique set of design requirements as the facilities are packed with technology; with densely populated rows and racks of temperature-controlled equipment alternating between hot and cold aisles alongside complex cooling systems that maintain temperatures.

Graeme Leonard

Designing a fire protection system for a data centre should meet a number of protection imperatives. Not only should it provide effective defence, but limit collateral water damage when activated, to protect the high-value capital equipment inside. This is also why leaks from the system and pipework, caused by accidents or system wear, also have to be minimised.

In addition to first-class protection, data centre owners are looking for standardisation. Owners are often global technology giants who operate across multiple markets and look for consistency everywhere. They are also looking for adaptability so that the architecture within a data centre can change as demand grows. And, finally, customers want to know they’re getting value for money, and that means the lowest possible total cost of ownership (TCO).

Best practice, best design

When beginning design work on a data centre’s fire protection, there are multiple best practice solutions to consider. Firstly, ensuring there is a preaction system in place. From Victaulic, this will typically be a double interlock set-up, with cross-zoned detection, with an option for auto convert to back-up power in case the central power supply is unavailable. Dry pendent drops are another sensible inclusion, not least to ensure the system instantly complies with recognised sprinkler installation standards for fire protection systems.

VicFlex Style VS1 ... FM-approved flexible dry pendent sprinkler.

In edge data centres, there can also be the option to use a hybrid fire suppression system such as the Victaulic Vortex system. This will deliver the right level of protection to the mission-critical infrastructure inside the facility. The (FM-approved) hybrid nitrogen and water solution used in Victaulic Vortex rapidly extinguishes fires without using toxic chemicals and ensuring minimal disruption to ongoing operations – an ideal solution for data centres.

Flexibility is key

Flexibility is another key consideration, yet simultaneously something that is harder to deliver. Data centres are typically designed for a lifespan of 30 years, but usage levels are usually planned only for five-year periods. This makes it difficult to design a complete lifespan system at the outset, because we know air flow containment and racks will change over time, only we can’t be sure how they will change. Given this, how do you design a system that can keep up with the change?

One solution from Victaulic is the VicFlex Style VS1 UL-listed and FM-approved flexible dry pendent sprinkler. This design enables easier relocation of the outlet as building configurations change. As with many other Victaulic products, careful attention has been paid to ease of installation on site. The system offers lengths of 38-inch, 50-inch or 58-inch, each able to accommodate four 90-degree bends for maximum versatility.

Traditionally, fire protection systems use dry pendent drops to protect these risks. The hard pipe drops require bespoke lengths based on precise measurements to perfectly fit the dimensions of a space. Multiple trips to a job site are then required for measurements, design, and installation. In the data centre industry, this presents many challenges. The architecture of a data centre changes regularly – servers are added and additional rooms built.

Victaulic’s VS1 solution offers the complete flexibility that is needed within a data centre, paired with the dry sprinkler system that guarantees additional accuracy. The unique braided pipe in VicFlex Style VS1 is up to 10 times faster to install than alternative threaded black pipe systems.

The product arrives on site ready to install and the need for hard wired piping systems is eliminated. Aims of keeping water far away from the servers are met and the flexible nature of the solution ensures that as the architecture of the room changes, data centre fire protection can be easily maintained. And with its choice of standard lengths, there’s no messy cutting required on site.

Exciting future

Having standardised and easy-to-install systems is a real advantage for data centres and helps owners establish the consistency they seek in their global operations. And with ‘plug and play’ solutions, there’s not only design consistency but also reliability in installation to make it easier to accommodate preferred designs at multiple locations. A further advantage of the Victaulic solutions is that installation specialists need less time on site, which data centre owners appreciate as they like to maintain commercial privacy at their sites for obvious reasons.

As mentioned earlier, flexibility is key with data centres and in the future it will become even more so. The industry continues to grow rapidly and advances such as edge data centres and localised IoT (Internet of Things) networks, as well as the increased popularity of AI solutions, will only require greater flexibility. In tomorrow’s world, our data will be one of our most precious commodities and it’s exciting to think that Victaulic solutions have a critical role to play in protecting it.

* Victaulic is the leading producer of mechanical pipe joining solutions. Its portfolio of more than 100,000 products and patented technologies promote freedom of design, safe and efficient jobsites, as well as simplified inspection and maintenance for the life of any system.