Ark Continuity, a developer of high integrity data centres, has said that the first phase of its data centre campus at Spring Park, Corsham, Wiltshire, will open in November 2009.
The company said that the first phase of Spring Park includes SQ17, a new model for data centre infrastructure, based on standard, scalable, predictable building blocks.
The company claims that its data centre model offers the benefits of owner-occupation – discrete space and infrastructure – but on an outsourced, modular basis. Customers will have the security of their own technical space and infrastructure, while allowing for future expansion as their requirements grow, moving the investment from capital expenditure (CAPEX) to operating expenses (OPEX).
According to Ark Continuity, its design power usage effectiveness (PUE) coefficient at SQ17 is down to 1.45, while the UK average for conventional data centres is 2.2. The rural setting of Ark’s Corsham campus means the proportion of air free cooling is already over 60% (62% in Wiltshire last year) compared with around 50% in London. In addition, ground free cooling is available by tapping into the cool subterranean environment under the Spring Park campus, which is expected to deliver a design PUE of less than 1.2.
The company said that its infrastructure suits the requirements of government departments and corporates who need to balance the highest levels of security and availability, with a growing demand for lower carbon systems.
Jeff Thomas, CEO of Ark Continuity said: “Ark’s experts have spent 10 years researching best practice and technology and this year we will deliver the first phase of UK’s lowest carbon data centre campus. Planning permission has been secured for 93,000m2 of development, and infrastructure is already in place to meet the anticipated demand.
“We are proud to deliver on our promise of a low carbon data centre – a first in the UK. Ark has the resources, infrastructure and management in place to deliver in line with market requirements from November 2009.”
