Integrating sustainability requirements into the engineering of GreenScale RRY11, giving the project a clear route from design decisions through to LEED certification.
RRY11 is the first of several facilities planned for GreenScale’s Derry data centre campus. The 30MW development will be delivered in two equal phases across three floors, with eight data halls and a centralised energy centre forming part of the wider scheme.
Ethos is providing mechanical, electrical, ICT, security and sustainability design services from RIBA Stage 2 to Stage 4. With the project targeting LEED Silver, our sustainability team is working across the design disciplines through dedicated workshops and the developing LEED assessment, helping translate certification requirements into practical design decisions.
That approach is already informing the engineering. The cooling strategy is designed for concurrent maintainability with free-cooling capability, while the infrastructure allows for a future mix of direct-to-chip liquid and air cooling. Provision has also been made for potential future district-heating connections, creating a route for waste heat recovery if the wider network allows.
Sustainability requirements extend into materials and water use. Concrete mixes specify recycled aggregates to reduce embodied carbon, while high-efficiency sanitaryware and landscaping with no irrigation requirement are intended to reduce water consumption. Rainwater management and heat-island requirements are also being assessed through the LEED process, giving the wider design team clear performance criteria as the project develops.
Ethos is carrying these requirements forward into delivery by establishing contractor responsibilities for areas including construction pollution prevention, material documentation, waste management and indoor air quality. This creates continuity between the sustainability objectives established through design and the evidence needed to demonstrate them through construction and certification.
