Data Centers Archives - CTDG - Convergent Technologies Design Group, Inc.

Acoustics, Audiovisual, Data Centers, Projects, Telecommunications

Prince George’s Community College – Center for Health Studies

Museums and Cultural Centers: Baltimore Museum of Art – Systems by CTDG

Museums and Cultural Centers: National Aquarium, Baltimore – Systems by CTDG

Architect:
Heery International

Departments:

Nursing
Radiology
Nuclear Medicine
Emergency Technician Paramedic Training
Dental Hygiene
Optometric Assistant
Pharmacy Technician
Data Center

Location:
Largo, Maryland

Construction Cost:
$36.5 MILLION

Square Footage:
110,000 gross square feet

The scope of this project includes complete design services for audiovisual systems, telecommunications cabling systems, and acoustics, noise & vibration control for a new Center for Health Studies. Spaces plans include: an 80-seat tiered classroom, 30 and 40-seat general classrooms, distance learning center, interdisciplinary simulation labs, observation rooms, specialized skills/teaching practice labs, conference rooms, and common areas throughout the building. Educational technology systems to be specified include: three-dimensional (3D) holographic projection, distance learning, audiovisual presentation and recording, speech reinforcement, along with custom classroom instructor’s station and associated infrastructure. Project responsibilities include the complete design of a new Data Center for the entire campus including room sizing, power requirements, environmental requirements, heat load design criteria, telecommunications room lighting and finishes, grounding and bonding for telecommunications equipment, and building entrance protection. Project highlights include the design of a 3D holographic projection system for the tiered classroom allowing instructor’s to input MRI and other medical data into the audiovisual system and manipulate it in order to create a simulated teaching environment. All spaces in the building scheduled to receive educational technology systems will be tied together via a master control room allowing patching, switching, editing, media retrieval, monitoring, recording as well as redistribution throughout the building.

Business Schools, Data Centers, Higher Education, Projects, Telecommunications

Virginia Western Community College – Business Sciences Building

[col3]The scope of this project included reviewing the existing Data Center design to evaluate pros and cons of relocation/ replacement versus modification. In addition to the Data Center assessment, an analysis on the impact of Data Center renovation or replacement on VWCC campus, network operations and other buildings on campus, associated telecommunications cabling system and infrastructure, and associated power and cooling systems was also conducted. The Data Center’s current location occurred as a result of the evolution of the campus network over many years, proving the location was functional but not necessarily planned.Taking into consideration the extensive amount of cabling and network electronics located in the data center, it was decided prudent to maintain and utilize the existing location.The presence of newly installed power facilities and an existing cooling system also made the decision to keep the data center racks and equipment where they were currently located the most practical and economically sound decision. It was also determined that the re-design effort, as it related to the Data Center, needed to address numerous points: power requirements of existing and potential future electronics; cooling and environmental control capabilities (temperature and humidity); access control; and adequate room for growth. It was concluded that as a result of the redesign of the second floor, the telecommunications cabling system would be impacted significantly. Specific cabling systems such as the outside plant copper, fiber and coaxial backbone (OSP), internal backbone copper, fiber and coaxial backbone (Riser), and the above ceiling structured cabling system (Horizontal), at the time, connected existing campus buildings, and had to be protected during redesign. Damage received to any of those named systems could have resulted in outages, or loss of service to the classrooms and lab connections. Many of these cables needed to be removed and replaced in the proposed areas of redesign while others remained connected to their existing outlet locations. Close coordination between departments located in these construction affected areas and the re-design team was necessary to ensure that unscheduled outages did not take place. This project has been successfully completed since 2008.[/col3]

[col3]Architect: SFCS, Inc.
Location: Roanoke, Virginia
Construction Cost: $2 Million
Project Size: 20,000 gsf[/col3]

Data Centers, Projects, Telecommunications

Apple Federal Credit Union – Replacement Data Center

[col3]Convergent Technologies’ scope of work for this project included complete programming and conceptual design for the Apple Federal Credit Union (FCU) Replacement Data Center. Apple FCU has over twenty (20) branches throughout the Virginia/DC area, serving more than 117,000 members. The goal of this effort was to consolidate the operations of two separate existing data centers to function as one, due to a recent Apple FCU merger. CTDG served as the Data Center Planning Consultant on this effort. Responsibilities included reviewing existing data center design and Apple FCU standards; providing recommendations for new location of the replacement data center; providing a written design narrative outlining desired Data Center Programming & Space Requirements, Anticipated Architectural & MEP Coordination items and requirements, and outside plant cabling (OSP) connectivity to Apple FCU and the Wide Area Network; preliminary budget estimates for telecommunications cabling, server racks, and cable management pathways/systems; and providing reference drawings as part of the Programming & Concept Design package. This project began in February, 2012 and is scheduled for completion in 2013.[/col3]

[col3]Architect: Heery International
Location: Fairfax, Virginia[/col3]

Audiovisual, Data Centers, Higher Education, Projects, Science and Technology, Security, Telecommunications

College of Southern MD – Francis P. Chiaramonte, M.D. Center for Science and Technology

Libraries: City of Apache Junction, Arizona, Library Additions – Systems by CTDG

Libraries: McDaniel College, Hoover Library Renovations – Systems by CTDG

LOCATION:
La Plata, Maryland

ARCHITECT:
Design Collective

CONSTRUCTION COST:
$14 MILLION

GROSS SQUARE FOOTAGE:
70,000 gross square feet

The scope of this project included complete design services for educational technology systems to include: telecommunications cabling (voice, data, RF Video), audiovisual & multimedia, A/V monitoring for classrooms/labs, speech reinforcement, data projection, audiovisual presentation and recording in classrooms, along with custom instructor’s stations and associated infrastructure for approximately twelve (12) classrooms. The Science and Technology (ST) Building Renovation also included renovation of the existing ST Building and the phased relocation of the campus Telecommunications Hub. The ST Building current MDF Room was one of the two main distribution points of voice, data, and video for the entire campus, and was being relocated from its present location in the basement of the ST Building to the Learning Resource (LR) building MDF, which was better sized to support current demand and projected future growth of the campus Telecommunications Cabling needs. Project scope included design of a new campus hub room for this and other campus buildings, support for intermediate distribution rooms (IDF), the design of one of the campuses main distribution rooms (MDF) for voice, data, RF video systems, and installation of a redundant ductbank conduit system between the Science and Technology building and the Learning Resource Building. Scope of design work included the basis for design, design development, specifications and project management for all security systems for the project, telecommunications cabling, and audiovisual & multimedia systems infrastructure to be integrated into the new building. Project highlights include planning of phase construction for no down time integration of the new telecommunications distribution facility, as well as, close interaction with the college’s facilities and telecommunications staff enabling Convergent Technologies to gain a good understanding of existing conditions and future campus vision as it related to telecommunications cabling infrastructure. The project was a three-year, multi-phase design project and has been successfully complete since Fall 2008.

Data Centers, Higher Education, Projects, Telecommunications

Anne Arundel Community College – Data Center Renovation

[col3]The scope of this project included verifying the existing program for the renovation of the Careers Building and Data Center. The Data Center is the primary point of Local Area Network (LAN) distribution for existing and future buildings on the Anne Arundel Community College Campus. Project challenges included the expectation for little or no downtime to campus LAN/Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems during renovations. Currently, main distribution feeds from other buildings on campus enter the Careers Building via multiple undocumented routes. Recommendations included rerouting cabling to a single or dual (redundant) point of distribution directly from the Data Center which provides the opportunity to future proof the Data Center’s infrastructure and will eliminate downtime for future integration projects on campus that involve the LAN or PBX systems. Additional direction included having a telecommunications contractor onsite during all renovation work to help ensure that no downtime or damage to existing telecommunications cable lines occurs. This project was completed in 2009.[/col3]

[col3]Architect: Heery International
Location: Arnold, Maryland[/col3]

Audiovisual, Data Centers, Federal, Projects

National Renewable Energy Laboratory – Energy Systems Integration Facility

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Architect:SmithGroup

Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Construction Cost: $135 Million

Project Size: 175,000 gsf

Designed to facilitate complex systems research and development that integrates the most advanced simulation, data analysis, engineering and evaluation techniques, The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Energy Systems Integration Facility plans to transform the nation’s energy infrastructure. This state of the art facility will support not only research and engineering, but the testing and analysis of components and systems to enable economic, reliable integration of renewable electricity generation, fuel production, storage and building efficiency technologies. Convergent Technologies is providing complete design services for audiovisual systems with associated supporting infrastructure. This project features a high performance data center (HPDC) consisting of a 2.1teraflop supercomputer, supporting by an Insight Collaboration Room with a three-dimensional (3D) partial immersion cave. The HPDC also includes a visualization room with a videowall in the 24-32 mega pixel range. CERBS offers a rear projection cube 2×6 videowall Control Room and will simulate the typical large utility control systems, as well as integrate the display of real-time and faster than real-time data sets from any of the nine (9) connected experimental bays. Additional spaces to receive technology systems include secure videoconference rooms, collaborative conference rooms, and a common area tour system for the public with displays throughout the building. Displays on tour routes in the common areas will be timed and automated with a control system. This project is planned for completion in 2013.