Enterprise Data Center Expansion

To meet growing, critical connectivity needs and server space inventory, this enterprise data center in Illinois, designed by Corgan’s Dallas-based architectural team, increased its square footage. Rockfon Tropic® - DC acoustic stone wool ceiling panels were specified to meet the two-story data hall addition’s high-performance requirements. Within the 428,000-square-foot facility, office and storage space, conference rooms and break-out rooms also are available.

As one of the largest data center operators and a leading global data center developer, the data center client specializes in delivering state-of-the-art digital infrastructure solutions. With more than 50 high-performance mission-critical facilities worldwide, the company ensures the continued operation of digital infrastructure.

Contemporary Design, Future-Ready Facilities

For data centers, Corgan designs attractive data centers that appeal to tenants and help attract top talent. These facilities include interiors with high-end lobbies and elevated workspaces, and exteriors that blend with their urban neighborhood aesthetics.¹

Corgan is recognized as the #1 data center firm in the U.S. market, having designed more than 10GW as of 2023. Its data centers team helps clients expand to meet increasing global demand when it comes to co-location, hyperscale and mega data centers. Corgan understands the unique challenges of construction logistics on urban sites for these specialized building types.¹

This data center client has partnered with Corgan on data center projects in Texas, Virginia and Illinois. For this expansion, Clune Construction worked closely with Corgan and with Performance Contracting Inc. (PCI), whose Chicago-based team installed more than 210,000 square feet of Rockfon Tropic - DC.

Meeting the facilities multiple requirements, Rockfon’s stone wool ceiling solutions provide low-emitting, durable, sound-absorbing, fire-resilient products that are resistant to mold, bacteria and water, and contribute to efficient, sustainable data center operations. 
Helping achieve its goals, the data center operates with water-free cooling and renewable energy. It also incorporates early fire detection technology, and physical, network, biometric and other security measures throughout the facility.

Data centers need to be adaptable and future-ready as tech-heavy business needs continue to grow and change rapidly. Rockfon’s durable, high-performance stone wool ceilings responds to these demands helping to keep data centers agile, flexible and prepared.

Created specifically for data centers, Rockfon Tropic - DC ceiling panels help prevent the accumulation of static electricity and provide excellent sound absorption, demonstrated with a Noise Reduction Coefficient of up to 0.85 NRC. They further support people’s health and well-being and efficient data centers. Contributing to indoor air quality, Rockfon stone wool ceiling panels for data centers are certified UL® GREENGUARD® Gold as low-emitting products. Supporting the design team’s material evaluation and product selection, Rockfon Tropic - DC documentation includes UL Certified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), third-party verified Health Product Declarations (HPDs) and Declare Labels.³

Attractive, Human-Centric and Competitive

As data centers compete for business, Clark sees these facilities differentiating themselves with “amenities and memorable design features to earn and retain business, develop staff and stand out in an increasingly fierce market. Evolved beyond big, boxy, monstrous machines, these data centers are commonly designed with tour paths that highlight several attractive and thoughtful additions that cater to client needs and a comfortable, more human-centric experience. Inspired by the trends in corporate workplaces, portions of these data centers are often designed with brighter, open spaces, attractive lobbies, even points of interest in lighting or brand colors.”²

Rockfon offers design teams full creative freedom and flexibility to future-proof these high-tech facilities for new construction and for efficient expansions and renovations. Rockfon’s range of acoustic stone wool ceiling panels are modular, customizable, demountable and available in multiple sizes and colors. This allows them to be installed, sized or resized with ease.⁴

Designed to fit into ceilings’ structural grid, Rockfon Tropic - DC acoustic stone wool panels feature a smooth white surface that reflects 86 percent of light, helping to illuminate the room effectively and efficiently. These ceiling tiles are available to meet a range of high-performance requirements and aesthetic options in multiple sizes and colors. They are easy to install for data centers’ fast-track construction and build-out schedules. Once installed, the ceiling systems are durable and the panels will not sag or warp even in 100 percent humidity. These systems require only minimal maintenance during their long lifecycle and are backed with a 30-year warranty.³

^Sources

^{¹ Corgan Perspectives, 11/14/23, https://www.corgan.com/news-insights/2023/AGlobalPerspectiveDylanBussey}

^{² Corgan Perspectives, 11/21/22, https://www.corgan.com/news-insights/2022/the-data-center-next-door}

^{³ Rockfon, “Acoustic Solutions for Data Centers,” https://www.rockfon.com/siteassets/rockfon-na/brochures/products/rockfon-data-center-segment-brochure.pdf; Rockfon Tropic - DC, https://www.rockfon.com/siteassets/rockfon-na/datasheets/rockfontropic---dc-datasheet.pdf; accessed 03/12/24}

^{⁴ Rockfon, “Acoustic Ceiling Solutions for Data Centers,” https://www.rockfon.com/market-sectors/data-centers/, accessed on 03/12/24}

^{⁵ Rockfon, “Now available: Stone wool ceilings for data centers,” 01/31/24, https://go.rockwool.com/index.php/email/emailWebview?email=MTk3LVFVRS02NDIAAAGR0fqzV7m60Bp7oC_EuhLOjVxh2Ex_YC5AS9yY7wBkF8i7p0bqfUE_zkXvo7s69M-7famTxLQ2McQzwZU9ArKf8o6Kxx40KRQgVA}