European expansion fueled by Warsaw's exemplary data centre

With the exponential growth of digital data production, the need for data centres has increased. The new Warsaw data centre campus will be comprised of two state-of-the-art data centres. The first phase, delivered in early 2022, includes 8MW of IT capacity. The client’s goal was to enter the European market and this data centre is the first in a series of reference buildings that are replicated in other locations throughout Europe.

The Warsaw data centre was built on post-industrial land where greenery had grown. The site was cleared, and the old facilities belonging to the steelworks were demolished. During the project execution, a relationship with the local community was established, and replacement planting compensated for the removed greenery. Additionally, the investor landscaped a children’s playground in the neighbourhood, which had a positive impact on the community.

The project had an ambitious time schedule and it was important to obtain permits in the correct order for construction. Nevertheless, the team managed to meet tight deadlines by completing the design phase in 2020-2021, beginning construction in 2021, and finishing the project in 2022.

The building includes a server room with an IT load of 8 MW. Associated infrastructure includes fire water tanks with a pumping station, a retention tank, an MV substation with redundant power supply, MV transformers, UPS and LV switchgear, and generators with belly tanks.

Designing a reference building that meets the most demanding requirements in each European country where it will be implemented was a challenging task. Obtaining the necessary permits for a project located in an unpurchased area, added to the complexity of the project.

Royal HaskoningDHV was responsible for the multiple design stages as well as the permitting for construction, except for the Environmental Impact Assessment. During the construction phase, Royal HaskoningDHV had a supervising role to make sure that the design developed was compliant with the design intent and the client’s requirements.

Several factors contributed to the positive outcome of this project. A competent front office team of Royal HaskoningDHV comprised of local staff, a collaborative approach with other parties, and a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities in the construction process were key determinants.

Overall, the new data centre in Warsaw effectively met the needs of the client and the growing demand for data centres. The design and infrastructure were thoughtfully planned, and the project team navigated a complex permit process with skill. The team ultimately completed the project within the scheduled timeframe and established positive ties with the local community, resulting in a favourable impact on the neighbourhood.