Specialist contractor Jones Weatherproofing has drawn up a pledge setting out best practice for data centre weatherproofing projects and is calling on other specialist contractors to do the same.
“Data centre construction in the UK is booming, with investment set to top £10bn by 2029, so there are huge opportunities for the construction industry,” said Matt Jones, Commercial Director of Jones Weatherproofing. “However, it’s important to remember that these facilities power our digital economy and have been designated critical national infrastructure, so it is imperative that as an industry, we set standards to safeguard design and build practices.”
“Take weatherproofing as an example. Data centres feature thousands of vertical penetrations, as well as roof penetrations, hatches and service penetrations. Traditional solutions just won’t work for such a complex array of services. So, it’s important that specialist contractors adopt an approach that is tailored to the requirements of the building and delivers solutions to the highest quality standards.”
Jones Weatherproofing’s data centre best practice pledge sets out the company’s five guiding principles for delivering best practice in weatherproofing for data centres. These encompass its commitment to providing a bespoke approach, focus on innovation and craftsmanship, how it streamlines the weatherproofing process and safeguards performance and aesthetics – all while delivering quick, effective and reliable outcomes.
The pledge also outlines the company’s commitment to working in partnership with architects, M&E consultants, principal contractors and data centre specialists. It sets out how the company will communicate with clients, provide technical support and expert guidance. It concludes by setting out Jones Weatherproofing’s quality standards, testing and industry-leading 25-year warranty as well as an overview of the company’s experience in data centre weatherproofing in numbers.
“Data centres are valuable assets, and the cost of downtime is astronomical, running into tens of millions of pounds. So, the people who build and operate them naturally want to know the building will perform as designed to safeguard that asset,” added Matt. “Our new data centre weatherproofing pledge sets out in writing our commitment to providing the highest quality for these projects.”
“It provides reassurance and peace of mind, and I would encourage other specialist contractors working in this space to do the same.”
Jones Weatherproofing works in partnership with architects and M&E consulting engineers to ensure weatherproofing penetrations are considered at the design stage. As the project progresses it then works with main and sub-contractors to take responsibility for the weatherproofing, energy efficiency, and aesthetics of all penetrations including last-minute positional changes.
Where traditional solutions rely on closing off the perimeter and the services using a plate and mastic solution, Jones Weatherproofing adopts a bespoke approach for all its weatherproofing projects. This means it can weatherproof penetrations of any size or shape without compromising the performance of the building envelope. They can even colour match to ensure the finished detailing supports the architect’s design aesthetic. All work comes with a market-leading 25-year warranty as standard.
Read more about Jones Weatherproofing’s data centre best practice pledge or request project help to discuss your project.