Case Study

NTT HI2 Data Centre

Data centres are increasingly crucial as the world becomes more connected and reliant on digital infrastructure. Data centres provide the foundation for innovations across industries, from healthcare to finance.

With the exponential growth of data driven by technologies like AI, IoT, and cloud computing, businesses and organizations require secure, scalable and reliable environments to store and process this information. Widening data centre footprints, like NTT Global Data Centres Americas, Inc.'s recent expansion to Hillsboro, Oregon, reflect this growing demand.

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A strategic expansion utilizing insulated metal panels

Kingspan's KS Series helps NTT achieve its aesthetic and thermal performance goals

NTT is one of the world’s largest data centre providers. The company’s new 47-acre data centre campus in Hillsboro is a strategic expansion to its global data centre portfolio, which encompasses over 160 data centres across more than 20 countries.

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Data centres must meet stringent building codes and high energy-efficiency requirements. Architects Corgan and CAI Architects Inc. selected Kingspan insulated metal panels (IMPs) for the building envelope of the new facility, NTT Data Centre HI2. With R-values of up to 8.0 per inch, Kingspan IMPs provide strong thermal efficiency that minimizes the need for excessive heating or cooling – which is crucial in the operation of large-scale data centres. These insulation properties help regulate internal temperatures and reduce operational energy costs.

Nearly 31,000 square feet of Kingspan KS Micro-Rib panels were used in construction, providing a highly efficient barrier while also offering an aesthetically pleasing appearance. These panels, applied vertically, have a sleek design with a tight, ribbed profile that adds visual appeal to the building. The clean lines give the data centre a contemporary but professional look.

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IMPs bring custom colors to life

The color finishes of the panels, including a custom silver polish and a lighter gray color, provided a modern aesthetic that complemented the cutting-edge technology housed within the facility. 

In addition to the thermal efficiency and aesthetic properties of Kingspan’s IMPs, these panels are a prefabricated, ready-to-install, single-component system. This means that construction of the facility only required one installer – Streimer Sheet Metal Works, Inc. – rather than multiple trades, reducing the need for field labor. This helped to keep the project on schedule.

Delivering a full air and water barrier, Kingspan’s IMPs also provide excellent protection against all of Oregon’s weather, including rain, snow, and high winds.

This facility is now part of NTT's global network of data centres, supporting the fast-growing demand for data processing and storage. IMPs helped ensure that this facility is a state-of-the-art hub, delivering a reliable, aesthetic, and thermally efficient building envelope.

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