This was a Design-Build construction project consisting of a 113,000 SF state-of-the-art Tier III Mission Critical Operation and Data Center. ColonialWebb was a part of an Extensive Design Assist process to help complete the design to meet the owner’s needs while maintaining the project budget. This facility was a structurally and electrically hardened operations and data center for a client in Virginia with many critical needs required to avoid loss/downtime. Additionally, this entire greenfield site required security-cleared access and controls for the project duration.
Ultimately, the facility needed to be impervious to any natural or man-made disaster, including tornados, utility loss, security breaches, and most importantly, be unaffected by targeted electromagnetic pulses or EMPs. All of which created unique considerations and challenges that the team had to work on to determine a solution. To meet the standard physical protection requirements, the building was to have a “hardened” precast structure able to withstand the physical concerns outlined in the design. What remained was the EMP protection considerations. To provide an “EMP Shield,” a faraday cage would have to be built within the precast structure. In effect, the building became a building within another building. The project is LEED Silver certified.
