Telia Helsinki Data Center

The Telia Helsinki Data Center, built by SRV, can be called a world-class data center. Once completed, the building will be the most modern in Europe in terms of technology and the largest in the Nordic countries in terms of size. The energy-efficient center has been operating without any interruptions or faults affecting its users. Despite the demanding nature of the project, the schedule and budget were adhered to, and the focus on occupational safety in the construction project was reflected in the low number of accidents reported by the customer.

Logistically challenging location required good process management

The Data Center was built in a logistically challenging location. The site was cramped and located in the middle of the city. The challenges of the location required precision and systematic planning from the project staff.

“Due to the challenging nature of the site, it was important to manage the schedule and processes. Goods had to arrive at the site on time and tasks had to be carried out in the correct order according to the plan. In addition, the neighbors living around the site had to be taken into account," says Teemu Lohilahti, project manager for the Helsinki Data Center project at SRV.

The data center took about three years to build. Being able to carry out construction and design work simultaneously made it possible to stay on schedule.

Functionalities were optimized for data center use right from the start

Helsinki Data Center was optimized in terms of its structure and functionalities for data center use right from the start. This is unusual because data centers are often located in buildings that were previously used for other purposes.

Since its completion, Matti Tella, who is responsible for setting up the Data Center's operations and currently oversees the facility's operations at Telia, has seen firsthand how the Data Center functions on a daily basis and serves its users. He also has a good understanding of the factors that guided the project's design and the solutions that were ultimately chosen.

"The Telia Helsinki Data Center operates optimally for data center use. The center has been running without a single interruption or fault that has affected its users. This is a good reflection of the quality of the building and its design, as everything has worked exceptionally reliably," Tella describes.

Energy efficiency, flexibility, and data security at the heart of the design

The aim was to make the data center premises as flexible and adaptable as possible – and therefore also long-lasting.

“The construction was not deliberately completed in one go, but we focused on the adaptability of the building. Modular construction has made it possible to expand and modify the facilities later on so that they can best support a wide range of customer needs," Tella explains.

The construction project also focused on energy efficiency and high information security. The data, security, electrical, and fire extinguishing systems are world-class, and the waste heat generated by the servers, for example, is to be recovered. The Data Center has been awarded a large number of certificates for quality, environmental friendliness, and safety.

In addition to skilled personnel, organizational support is also important

This demanding project was backed by skilled personnel. SRV selected a versatile team of experts for the construction project, whose skills complemented each other. In everyday practice at the site, site management played a key role.

"It was impressive to see how well the site manager kept everything together. He knew what was happening at all times and in all areas of the site. He phased things well and ensured their success at the right time," Tella recalls.

In addition to the experts, the organization behind them also played a significant role in the success of the project.

“SRV’s scale as a company enabled it to respond quickly to issues that had not been planned in advance. The skilled personnel involved in the project had a good network behind them.”

Work safety was taken care of meticulously and purposefully

Work safety was taken seriously in the project, which was also evident to the customer in the low number of accidents, among other things.

"The attention paid to work safety in the project was impressive – so systematic and thorough. The low number of accidents was not a matter of luck, but the result of determined action. Everyone on the site was well trained from the outset, no materials were left lying around, and a lot of foresight was applied. Subcontractors were also required to take care of occupational safety by the occupational safety officer," says Tella.

The demanding data center project taught its contributors a lot. Although there was little previous experience of such a large data center project in Finland, the goals were set high and were successfully achieved. Telia Helsinki Data Center will continue to operate reliably far into the future.