Few engineering firms have been involved with projects requiring the level of complex engineering design required by our High Performance Computing (HPC) practice. EDG2 has pioneered HPC designs for three-letter agencies requiring up to 1000 watts per SF. Until recently, academic and government research centers were the exclusive domains of HPC because of the supercomputers’ ability to perform sophisticated mathematical modeling. In the very near future, however, HPC is expected to become the required computing platform for 3D Internet content providers.
In addition, the advent of P4 medicine (predictive, preventive, personalized, participatory) will require HPC analysis of each individual’s genome, thus allowing a sea of change in how doctors treat patients and use medical technologies. Compared with today’s typical data center, an HPC facility will require dramatic increases in power and cooling capacity. These massively paralleled networks of specialized servers have a load density between 700-1650 W/SF, while most current data centers have load densities between 100 and 225 W/SF.
Representative Projects
Government Agency’s R&D Facility for HPCS, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey
EDG2 provided engineering/architectural design services to a government agency’s R&D HPCS data centers in Boulder, CO, Gaithersburg, MD and Princeton, NJ. The size of these projects ranged from 15,000-25,000 SF of raised floor to be upgraded to 50,000 SF. Our services included design of new data centers and renovation of existing data centers to accommodate a variety of IBM and Cray supercomputer technologies, as well as new complex infrastructure systems for the physical computing facilities to meet evolving needs. The infrastructure systems include electrical power distribution, standby generator power, chillers and HPC cooling (air and chilled water), HVAC, plumbing, fire alarm and suppression systems, emergency systems, telecommunication and audio-visual cabling, flooring and lighting systems. We also provided facility operations and engineering technical support for physical plant operations and maintenance (O&M), property control and computer room system administration.
Classified HPC Location
EDG2 is currently providing engineering and architectural design services for a 153,000 SF High Performance Computing (HPC) data center for real-time tactical information processing to warriors in operation theaters. This project includes 125,000 SF of raised floor at 1000 W/SF. The total electrical capacity will be in excess of 250MVA, requiring transmission-grade electrical service at 230KV to the project site, while the standby power plant will utilize six 40 MW gas turbines. This is a landmark data center project, breaking new ground in design and construction of mission critical facilities.