So, why not save circa 10% of the
cost and just arrange it all yourself (assuming that
your time costs less) – or just leave it to
the contractors?
If you have the spare time, understand what is required,
are willing to take the technical and HSE responsibility,
and more – then fine. However, below are but
a few of the instances we have come across, where
our experience would have prevented a problem - that
is not always easy to spot – even by the professionals!
We are not publishing the solutions, but will reveal
them to our clients - and ensure that they do not
join the list!
Forever blowing bubbles!
The central plant air handling unit stands alongside
the computer room in a separate purpose built plenum
plant room. The plant room is just that – a
double skin block work wall on a concrete slab and
with a concrete slab roof. The walls are painted with
emulsion paint in an attempt to hide its ghastly appearance.
Conditioned air is ducted into the computer room floor
void and returns at high level from the computer room
suspended ceiling void – back into the plant
room. From the room it is sucked back through the
air conditioner for reconditioning and recycling.
This is the standard arrangement for plenum plant
rooms.
When turned on the air conditioning however, cannot
control conditions within the computer room. Engineers
and manufacturers are called in. Calculations are
repeated and the equipment is checked out – all is found to be correct.
The commissioning engineer has an idea and asks for
a bucket of very soapy water. He exits the plant room
and then throws the soapy water at a wall of the plant
room. The side of the plant room disappears in a cloud
of bubbles!
Frying tonight!
The computer room equipment is left running overnight.
Other than the security guards the facility is empty.
There is a break in the mains power. The UPS seamlessly
supports the computer equipment for the few minutes
until the standby generator kicks in and takes over.
The UPS doesn’t need to support the air conditioning
because the room temperature will not rise critically
during the few minutes it takes for the generator
to start – and anyway the UPS can only support
the load for 10 minutes if the mains or generator
don’t provide power.
The computer equipment not fitted with high temperature
isolation, fries!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Barafoam Hotel
The duct sections delivered to site to provide supply
and return the air to the computer room on the floor
above are circa 1.2m x 2.4m x 2m tall. They are laid
on their sides and are lined with a thick layer of
non-combustible acoustic foam. The duct erectors are
from the South, working on site and staying overnight
in B&B. The premises caretaker secures the site
at night.
The foam is a relatively new product that was developed
for, and is used in airliner construction –
meeting CAA specifications regarding combustibility.
The computer room is for a City Council in the North.
An association of half a dozen underwriters, based
in London, is underwriting the insurance risk.
The largest of the underwriting companies expresses
concern/interest in the claim that the foam does not
support combustion and sends a surveyor to site to
obtain a sample of the foam from the ducting.
A sample is taken, placed in a plastic container to
avoid pollution and returned to the London office.
The surveyor takes the sample to the chairman’s
office. The chairman places the sample in an ashtray
on the Board meeting table, strikes a match and offers
it to the foam.
The chairman and surveyor are seen running from the
office, pursued by a large black plume of noxious
smoke!
The insurers specification requirements are immediately
upgraded to require that automatic gas flooding protect
the duct lining. The manufacturers of the foam are
called in to answer and the insurers advise their
industry of a possible hazard to all aircraft lined
with this product!
An electron microscopic investigation reveals that
some of the foam linings are polluted with wool and
nylon fibres. These are acting as a catalyst to promote
combustion.
Where would such fibres – to just some of the
linings, have come from?
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Standby capacity?
A client didn’t think this up, but did a major
equipment manufacturer – designed to gain the
edge on their competitors, dream up a sales gimmick
feature? A cheaper option to buying two units –
one acting as a standby for the other in case it failed,
was to simply duplicate the components that could
cause the unit to fail e.g. the fan or a fan belt.
The power surge from the electrical supply authority’s
main was soaked up by the UPS and the computer equipment
is unaffected and continues running– until the
room temperature rises to the set level that switches
it off – hopefully before it cooks itself!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
The showers
Split system cassettes or wall mounted air handling
units are often installed in such a way as to shower
the rooms beneath with water. Not the best conditions
for your Computer server/Telecoms room!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
No blow?
The fan coil units are not circulating conditioned
air, in fact, little air at all. The fans are rotating
and the condensers appear to be operating satisfactorily.
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Melting ceiling tiles?
The suspended ceiling tiles apparently melt and drip
on to whatever is beneath – somebody’s
law determines it will be your main server –
or most sensitive member of staff!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Bring down the ceiling?
The computer room floor void is insufficient to carry
both computer cables and leave sufficient free space
for conditioned air supply. The answer was to deliver
conditioned air via slotted metal ceiling tiles into
the room and collect it in the front panels of the
room mounted air handling units. When the air conditioning
is turned on, part of the suspended ceiling falls
to the floor!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
The black room!
The computer room air conditioning contains high efficiency
filtration. Yes, the fresh air is entrained before
the filters. Conditioned air is introduced into the
room through the ceiling void, via perforated ceiling
tiles because of a lack of floor void depth available.
The ceiling tiles quickly change colour from white
to black. The computer equipment surfaces begin to
darken. The computer manufacturers’ engineers
begin issuing their helpful disclaimers…
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
The plunge-pool mentality
The comfort conditioning system comprises groups of
ceiling mounted cassettes serving the open-plan office
area. It is controlled via wall mounted controllers
from which temperature and fan speed may be set. The
system has capacity to maintain temperatures of circa
70/72 degrees C when temperatures outside the premises
are as low as -5 degrees C and as high as 30
degrees C. Once the external temperatures are exceeded
the system will lag circa 5 degrees behind –
normal design conditions.
At the start of the working day conditions
in the space are fine. After lunch, chaos reigns:
In the summer staff complain that the room is too
warm – usually when it's hot outside. They
claim the conditioning system is not working properly.
In the winter they complain that the room is too cool.
Temperature reading in room shows them to be lower
than the normal set point when the summer complaints
are made and warmer than the norm in the winter!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Star Wars!
The open plan office is cooled by means of a number
of high wall mounted split system fan coil units.
Adjustment of the units is provided by means of hand-held
infrared controllers.
Complaints are continually received that some of the
units are not cooling, are leaking and blowing out
warm air.
Checks are carried out: The refrigeration pipework
for leaks, filters checked for clarity and the infrared
controllers' settings. What is the source of the problem?
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
High wall mounted block of
ice!
An office split system unit high wall mounted unit
keeps leaking. In fact it is freezing up. The filter
is clean, the refrigeration pressure and content correct.
What is wrong?
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Turn off
The comfort conditioning system suspended ceiling
mounted cassette units have been installed for a few
weeks, when complaints are received that they no longer
appear to be controlling the room temperature.
The controls and refrigeration circuits are all checked
and found to be fine. When one of the filter banks
is removed from a cassette unit, it resembles a sheet
of cardboard!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
For ever, and ever, and ever
The computer room is constructed within a huge, brand
new, office/shopping mall complex. The fabric comprises
thick, solid, reinforced concrete walls, floor and
ceiling. It is absolutely ideal for a secure facility.
Following the fitting-out, the air conditioning is
turned on and tested before the computer equipment
is installed.
It doesn’t work! It can’t control the
temperature! It can’t even raise the room to
its 22 degrees set point – let alone cool it!
The systems are thoroughly checked out and all components,
and their design, are fine. It is left running for
a week – to settle down, but still will not
control the temperature. And another week, and another,
and another! … What was wrong?
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Lonely
The large computer room is completed and all the services,
including the air conditioning system, have been tested
and commissioned - without any problems having been
found.
A simulated heat load test is carried out to check
that the air conditioning is able to cope with the
anticipated computer equipment load.
A few items of mainframe computer equipment are installed
and commissioned.
The air conditioning cannot control
the room temperature! The isometric chart sketches
out what resembles the profile of a crosscut circular
saw blade. Engineers and designers return, but all
checks out O.K. The computer manufacturers begin issuing
their disclaimers…
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
The alternative bypass switch
The UPS equipment regularly switches into bypass in
the summer months due to overheating. A large fresh
air fan that is apparently working correctly and was
not a problem during the previous summer – when
external temperatures were higher, ventilates the
room. There is nothing else outside, or in, that could
be an additional heat source – yes the fan was
rotating!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Hello, hello?
The server/telecoms room is UPS supported. The UPS
has its own standby generator support in case of a
mains power failure.
The premises telephone switchboard equipment has its
own UPS battery pack – a safeguard because if
power to it is lost then its software has to be reloaded
– at the usual sky-high engineer’s time
and call-out cost.
The mains fail, the UPSs take over,
the generator takes over.
A couple of hours later, the computer
manager calls his boss(director actually!) to reassure
him that all is under control. As he is speaking the
line goes dead – as do all those in the building
- and they stay down!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Fault loose
The mainframe item of computer equipment has an intermittent
fault. The computer engineer denies it. The electrical
supply quality is checked and found to be fine. The
commando socket/termination box connections are
checked – all O.K. The breaker is correctly
sized and of the correct type. So what was wrong?
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
UPS and out!
There is a mains power failure. The UPS takes over.
There is no standby generator, but the computer operators
use the few minutes the UPS gives them to backup
files and then shut down the computer system –
which is one reason for having the UPS.
The power returns, everything restarts – and
the main breaker blows – unfortunately by now
the UPS batteries are fully discharged from the previous
exercise!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
The lazy generator
The standby generator – which fails to start
when the mains power disappears in the winter, faithfully
starts every time on test during the summer!
To find out what’s
it all about and to avoid similar– Appoint CCS
The dead generator
Despite regular testing, one day nothing happens when
the standby generator auto start switch is engaged
by a mains failure!
To find out what’s
it all about and to avoid similar– Appoint CCS
No fuel!
The standby diesel generator housing stands on the
other side of a fence to a petrol station –
yes it does sell the type of diesel oil used by the
generator!
Someone had decided that spare space was at a premium
and that a large fuel tank was not needed for the
generator – 4 hours run time would be sufficient,
after that someone would have to pop across to the
fuel station with a Gerry can for a refill.
It was only when there was a mains
failure that lasted for more than four hours that
the major flaw in their plans dawned!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Barafoam saga continues
A carbon dioxide full flood extinguishing system is
installed to fill the large ducts lined with the errant
foam.
The ducts lead from the ground floor central air conditioning
plant and feed into the first floor raised modular
floor void of the computer room above.
The 12 large bottles of CO2
gas are stored on the ground floor. The gas, is to
be held inside When it is injected, the gas is to
be retained in the ducts by large, steel plate, 2hr
fire resistant dampers.
Motors and gearing arrangements are fitted to the
dampers to close them. They are battery operated because
in the event of a fire alarm, the mains electrical
supply is isolated.
Trials are carried out and the motors are unable to
deal with the weight of the dampers. Modifications
are carried out and the underwriters advised.
They wish to witness a live test of the gas flooding
system before they are willing to accept the risk.
They are due to arrive from London at circa midday
and so the damper closing tests are carried out continually
during the morning.
The sequence for the test is:
| 1. |
The fire alarm is activated by the site engineer from a manual break glass unit in the viewing gallery overlooking the computer room. |
| 2. |
The alarms sound for a pre-set period. |
| 3. |
The sound of the dampers closing echoes around the room. |
| 4. |
The carbon dioxide is injected into the ducts. |
The raised flooring above the ducts is removed to
enable the witnesses to the view the dampers and their
sealing effect – in containing the gas.
A dozen underwriters solemnly arrive for the test
and stand around the large openings in the raised
floor.
The site engineer activates the manual release button.
The alarms sound and the damper release timer commences.
There is no sound echoing around the room! The dampers
do not close!
There is no time to warn the witnesses! The gas is
released!
A dozen underwriters disappear from view in a cloud
of carbon dioxide!
The site engineer begins to compose his letter of
resignation, witness report to the police.
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Fire!
The alarms of the fire detection devices in the remote
room/site are connected by means of an auto dialler
to the 24/7 operations office telephone. The fire
brigade are brushing away water and ashes before your
operations staff find out about the fire!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Thank you!
The office suites are protected by means of an iris-reading
access control system – correctly installed
and approved by all – including the fire officer.
The following day everyone evacuates the premises
- and thieves rush in and remove all your laptop computers!
The insurance company explains why your claim for
compensation will not be met!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Al Reid Show?
In the event of the HSSD system detecting a fire in
your computer room whilst the premises is unoccupied
apart from your security staff, the security officer
on duty will locate the source of the fire condition,
switch off the offending device and attack any fire
with one of the Inergen gas hand-held fire extinguishers
available throughout the premises. Should the fire
be more than he is able to control he will call the
fire brigade and one of the operations staff.
The telecoms/server cabinet is a pile of ash by the
time the fire brigade arrive – and flood your
room with water.
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Hi There!
The person who stole the externally mounted CCTV surveillance
camera was caught on video. He was wearing a black
tracksuit and a balaclava. He was described as having
a fine set of teeth – also captured on film,
as he smiled for the camera – before the picture
disappeared as he cut the cables to release and steal
it!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
The squeeze
The new owners of a new company decided that a fresh
image was required. They decided that the business
ought to relocate from the Victorian rambling mansion,
converted garage and prefabricated unit, to a modern
office block.
One of their directors took up the mantle. He measured
the existing accommodation floor area and found a
new office development in the locale that seemed to
suit the bill. However…
New furniture had to be purchased to enable all the
workstation positions to fit into the new premises
and one department found itself split between floors
and demanded meeting rooms to compensate – but
there was no space for them.
The outcome of the exercise was that the company had
to take on another office building on the estate –
and attempt to let out a half of it – because
now they had too much space!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Candyfloss syndrome
The computer room is huge and has only been commissioned
and handed over a few months ago– by the largest
contracting organisation in the UK. However, when
the computer operators exit the computer room, they
appear more hirsute than when they entered! When they
lower the glass screen on the tape drives, the tapes
are seen to be covered in hair! The computer engineers
issue their usual helpful punitive threats and disclaimers
regarding the environment…
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Window radiators
The contractors have applied the solar reflective
film to the double glazed windows - to reduce heat
gains in your special areas. However some of the double
glazed units have since cracked and the room’s
cooling system doesn’t appear to be able to
cope - when the sun is shining. The mechanical services
engineer has checked his equipment and calculations.
The staff complains about the heat, the equipment
protests by switching itself off….
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Door slammers
The door closers are fitted to all doors and checked
for adjustment before the site is handed over to you.
You occupy, and the all the doors slam closed. Personnel
complain, have fingers removed, or suffer shock. Further
adjustment of the closers has little effect.
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Raised modular abstract art?
The client was a large financial institution and they
built a new headquarters premises and a showpiece
computer room. Their Architect insisted that he could
handle the computer room fabric – didn’t
need consultants for that!
Relevant information was sent to him and he placed
orders and managed the works.
He insisted that the raised floor had to be covered
in carpet containing the client corporate colours
– grey and blue – which was only reasonable.
He then had the bright idea of having the initial
letters of the institution formed on the raised floor
surface by having an appropriate mix of blue and grey
tiles. This was quite an exercise, because some tiles
needed to have a shaped insert forming the edges of
the blue letters on a grey background. Templates were
drawn up and sent to the factory where the carpet
tiles had to be specially cut – to the fine
tolerances required (which is why loose laid are used
wherever possible on floors where access is not required).
The floor was laid with the four large initial letters
proudly displayed for all to see from the visitors’
gallery overlooking the computer room.
Unfortunately the two essential activities that immediately
followed reduced the lettering to a visual shambles
and the coloured tiles were eventually replaced!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Nice pedestals!
The raised floor had been installed and computer equipment
moved into the new room. As the fire safe was wheeled
in some floor tiles sank as it passed over them, others
remained unaffected – small comfort! The occupants
of the office on the floor below note pedestals protruding
through their ceiling!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Raised inaccessible floor
Following the installation of the raised floor, comprising
600 x 600mm loose-laid panels supported upon pedestals,
in the new telecoms room, the builder then laid the
500 x 500mm carpet tiles over – staggered in
the specified manner – so as to avoid panel
and carpet tile joints coinciding.
The telecoms equipment and communications racks were
then positioned in the room. When the electrician
and cabling contractors arrived to lay their cables
beneath the floor, the builder had to be called back
to cut holes through it for access!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Raised access carpet
The builder is asked to provide a raised modular floor.
The product supplied has a bare sheet steel finish
– not best for a computer room! He is instructed
that the floor panels are to be finished with carpet
bonded to them. The replacement product seems fine
– until a floor tile is lifted and while the
carpet adheres to the lifting device, the floor panel
returns to base - at 32ft per sec2!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Window streams
The extension to contain the new computer room had
been completed. The windows, galvanised framed to
match existing - were double-glazed and the walls
and floor suitably insulated. There was a vapour seal
built into the roof fabric.
The air conditioning was installed, commissioned and
left running over the weekend – to settle down.
On Monday morning the room floor void was found to
be flooded to a depth of 50mm.
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Stolen Back fill?
It is the beginning of the spring season. The drains
connecting the new building to the main sewer, had
been laid, tested and their trench backfilled - before
the builder left site weeks before – when winter
was still around and snow was on the ground.
You look out of the window and notice that someone
has apparently dug out the trenches again!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Showers 2
You move into the new premises which is in the middle
of a large estate. It comprises a large industrial
unit containing offices, a hi-tech manufacturing facility
on the warehouse floor and associated stores.
The premises frame is a double span of steel portals.
A valley gutter runs the length of the building –
between the portals.
The gutters are cleaned and inspected before you move
in.
Two months later the gutter leaks. Inspection reveals
that it is blocked – what with?
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Showers 3
Scene: The same premises as in showers 2.
The valley gutter is checked once every month. Special
note is made to ensure that the symphonic drain outlets
and the perimeter roof gutter overflows are clear.
A downpour occurs and thousands of gallons of water
spray from the underside of the valley gutter edges
– inside the premises, flooding the whole of
the warehouse area to a depth of several inches! Damage
is estimated in £millions!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Paddling facility
Scene: The same site!
Apart from the drains problems, when there is a downpour,
most of the estate floods – to a depth of a
few inches, some of which find its way into the manufacturing
and R&D areas.
The meteorological office is contacted to find out
whether they have recorded unusually high levels of
rainfall in the area. They have no such records.
The local Planning and Rivers Authorities are contacted
and asked what they intend doing about the flooding.
They will do nothing.
Going, going…
The client was a Regional Authority. The new first
floor computer room had been constructed and commissioned.
All that remained was for the mainframe computer processor
to be delivered and installed.
The chairman of the project progress meeting thanked
us for our efforts but felt that the Authority could
at least handle the delivery of the processor. He
asked their site maintenance engineer to arrange the
erection of the scaffolding platform to the first
floor window of the new computer room and for a small
crane to lift the computer onto the platform.
The crane lifted the computer onto the scaffolding
platform – which slowly toppled over and returned
the mainframe to ground level!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
Moles?
Computer room raised modular floor tiles were originally
constructed from plywood. A less expensive alternative
was discovered when chipboard was introduced.
The first of these floors was installed in a newly
constructed computer room in London. The room was
commissioned, tested and handed over to the client.
It was just a few days before the complaints about
bumps appearing in the surface of the floor were raised!
To find out what it’s
all about and how to avoid – appoint CCS
|
