The future of data centers: why prefabricated solutions are the way to go

With the data center industry rapidly evolving, it’s becoming more and more critical to focus on factors such as efficiency, speed and scalability. As a result, prefabricated solutions are being touted as an attractive alternative for data centers compared to traditional on-site construction. In this article, we’re going to examine why.

Since the demand for data storage has skyrocketed in recent years, the rise of digitalization has had and continues to have a direct influence on data centers. Therefore, innovation in the data center industry is crucial, and that’s exactly where advancements such as prefabricated solutions come into play:

‘By shifting the approach from on-site, custom-built installations to off-site, pre-engineered, factory-assembled modules, data center owners can move more towards a standardised site-integrating mentality. They will benefit from more predictability, lower costs and faster implementation, and that will enable organisations to remain competitive in a digital landscape that is constantly changing. For us, the message couldn’t be clearer – the future is modular’, explains Gabriel Companis, Global Application Specialist for Data Centers at Grundfos.

Cost advantages are just one of many major benefits of prefabricated solutions. We’ve narrowed it down to six.

Let’s take a closer look.

1. Predictable efficiency

One of the main advantages of prefabricated solutions is that they can help businesses achieve their expected energy efficiency more reliably. Since they’re designed and tested in controlled factory environments, optimal performance can be achieved before they even reach the site.

2. Predictable cost

Unlike conventional on-site builds, which are prone to high costs and project delays, prefabricated solutions provide a clear cost structure. With most of the assembly completed in a controlled setting, the risk of unexpected expenses is significantly reduced.

3. Scalable and flexible

If you’re anticipating growth in your data center but you’re uncertain about future demands, modular solutions are a great way to scale up your cooling infrastructure.

4. Portable and compact

Traditional installations can take up valuable space inside a data center facility, limiting space for other core business operations. Prefabricated systems, on the other hand, can be located outside the main building or in less critical areas, freeing up valuable floor space for servers and other essential infrastructure. On top of that, if you ever need to relocate your data center, prefabricated systems offer the advantage of being portable.

5. Faster deployment and seamless integration

Traditional data centers can take years to build, significantly lowering the rate at which they can be deployed. In contrast, prefabricated systems can be deployed up to 40% faster. Since the site preparation takes place at the same time as the manufacturing of the module, the implementation process is so much smoother.

6. Improved safety

Safety is and should be a top priority at any workplace. Since prefabricated solutions are factory-assembled, much of the on-site labour is replaced, drastically limiting employees’ exposure to potentially dangerous conditions.

Meet our range of prefabricated systems

Now, that we’ve given you six clear reasons to go for a prefabricated solution in your data center, it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t give some airtime to our very own DELTA modular systems.

Our DELTA range of modular systems is designed to work across multiple applications within data centers, including HVAC, pressure boosting, water treatment and wastewater.

Thanks to the modularity of our DELTA range, you’ll wave goodbye to the hassles of traditional, piece-by-piece design and logistical nightmares. DELTA removes the unknown factors of on-site construction, allowing you to go about your business while reducing the risk of injury, delays and rework.

‘Our prefabricated solutions integrate seamlessly into both new builds and retrofit projects, providing reliable, high-efficiency cooling that keeps data centers running at peak performance. On top of that, we have the capacity to build prefabricated modules across our facilities in Sunderland, China and India – and it’s our ambition to establish production facilities in every region. We apply an end-to-end approach throughout the production process and that helps us ensure that the solutions we provide you with are high-quality, energy-efficient and high-performance’, says Gabriel Companis.

If you want to explore the real power of our DELTA range of modular systems, check out this case study, in which our solution helped to optimise our customer’s data center.

A sustainable choice for the future

With data centers under increasing pressure to improve energy efficiency and reduce their environmental impact, prefabricated solutions present a more sustainability-focused solution compared to the traditional approach of building on-site.

Built to operate at peak performance only when necessary, Gabriel Companis firmly believes that these factory-built modules will contribute to greener, more energy-efficient data centers:

‘The adoption of prefabricated modules in data centers represents a significant step forward in cooling efficiency. As the industry continues to embrace these modular solutions, I’m certain that prefabricated systems will play a crucial role in the next generation of high-performance data centers. And I believe that we can play a major role in that development – especially with our DELTA range’, he says.

Why prefabricated solutions are the way to go

6 reasons why you should consider a prefabricated solution in your data center