University of Birmingham Data Centre

Our construction specialists have completed the delivery of the University of Birmingham’s new £4.4 million research data centre, which will significantly boost its research capabilities.

Located at Park Grange on the Edgbaston campus, the purpose-built, 4,520 sq. ft. building will give the University a leading capacity for research data analysis and support its vision to become a leading global university.

The data centre features an innovative water-cooling system – the first of its kind at a higher education institution – which enables excess heat to be removed more efficiently, letting CPUs run for longer.

This increased efficiency enables the handling of complex calculations from immense data sets, with some processes able to run for weeks at a time such as genomics, and environmental and climate modelling, providing a significant boost to the University’s research capabilities.

The data centre has been delivered by our company under the Constructing West Midlands framework and features a central ‘white space’ that houses the data racks. Constructed as a four-hour fire-rated room, it is faced with Eurobond non-combustible panels.

This is one of several keystone projects we have delivered for the University of Birmingham, alongside the expansive Green Heart project, Teaching and Learning Building, School of Engineering and redevelopment of the old gymnasium building.

Nick Gibb, deputy managing director for Willmott Dixon in the Midlands, said:

“We have a strong collaborative relationship with the University of Birmingham, working with them to create spaces and facilities that work for their staff, students and the local community.”