Milan New Build Liquid-Cooled Data Centre Campus

Black & White Engineering delivered the localisation of a client reference design for a new-build data centre near Milan, Italy. The facility comprises eight 6MW IT data halls, with an attached admin block, substation and ancillary support buildings. Originally designed for air-cooled data halls, the project pivoted to liquid-to-liquid cooling per customer requirements while maintaining a concurrently maintainable design throughout.

The Brief

The appointment required Black & White to take an existing client reference design and localise it for a specific site near Milan. The scope covered local planning, permitting and technical requirements from Test Fit through to RIBA Stage 4, with OFCI tender support provided alongside the wider design programme.

Our Approach

Reference Design Localisation

Black & White adapted the client’s reference design to suit the specific conditions and requirements of the site ensuring the localised design met all relevant standards while preserving the intent and integrity of the original reference.

Advanced Cooling Technology

During the design process, the project transitioned from air-cooled to liquid-to-liquid cooling in response to customer requirements. The pivot was managed without compromising the concurrent maintainability of the design ensuring the facility can sustain full operations under a single point of failure or during planned maintenance.

OFCI Tender Support

Black & White provided OFCI tender support as part of the scope, coordinating owner-furnished contractor-installed equipment requirements alongside the wider MEP design programme.

The Result

• Over 45MW IT capacity across eight 6MW IT data halls
• Client reference design successfully localised for the site
• Cooling pivot from air-cooled to liquid-to-liquid managed without impact on concurrent maintainability
• Concurrently maintainable design maintained throughout continued operation under single failure and planned maintenance
• Full MEP design and OFCI tender support delivered through RIBA Stage 4