From 2019 to 2023, the data center market showed strong growth (boasting a double digit % ratio), because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has pushed organizations towards digital transformation that in detail was developed by several different elements: cloud computing, rise of big data and IoT, ecommerce, digital contents, smart work & many more.

Nowadays interruption of service from 70% of data center outage incidents costs $100,000 or more, with 25% of data center outage incidents costing more than $1 million.

The costs of interruption in a data center due to poor waterproofing can be extensive and multifaceted.

These costs can be categorized into several broad areas:

• direct financial costs (immediate downtime, repairs and replacements, cleanup costs)
• operational costs (service disruption, backup operations, resource allocation)
• reputational costs
• legal and compliance costs
• indirect and long-term costs (data loss, performance degradation, client compensation)

This is the reason because data centers must remain operational as downtime caused by any failure is expensive and uptime is critical. As waterproofing professionals flooding and water ingress remain a threat in extreme weather-related events, but even in less extreme circumstances, water can be a problem and lead to longer term failures or decreased operational reliability (more than 30% of breakdown can be caused by water ingress). Certain design considerations can be followed that will mitigate water ingress and reduce the risk of downtime.

In fact, achieving success in waterproofing a data center involves a combination of strategic planning, rigorous implementation, and ongoing maintenance.

Here are the key elements that contribute to successful waterproofing:

Comprehensive design and planning

• site selection and analysis: choose a location with minimal flood risk and good natural drainage.
• flood risk assessment: conduct detailed risk assessments to understand potential water ingress points
• waterproofing design: develop a comprehensive waterproofing strategy that includes both external and internal protections.

 

Advanced materials and construction techniques

• waterproof building envelope: use waterproof and water-resistant materials for the building envelope, including roofs, walls, and foundations.
• sealing technologies: apply advanced sealing technologies to all entry points, including doors, windows, and conduits.
• concrete waterproofing: use waterproof concrete or apply waterproof coatings to foundations and below-grade structures.
• corrosion-resistant components: select components that are resistant to corrosion for longer durability.
• humidity management: controlling humidity levels to prevent condensation and corrosion.

 

Effective drainage systems

• perimeter drainage: install perimeter drains around the building to channel water away from the foundation.
• internal drainage systems: design internal drainage systems to quickly remove any water that enters the building.
• sump pumps: equip the facility with sump pumps to handle water accumulation in critical areas.

Other useful good practices comprehend the following activities:

• robust leak detection and monitoring
• elevated and protected infrastructure (i.d. redundancy)
• maintenance and inspections
• emergency procedures

Do you want to see Volteco technologies in a Data Center waterproofing project?

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