New data centers are being planned and built in Finland at a record pace. Capacity needs to become operational quickly, but this cannot come at the expense of technical performance, quality or occupational safety.
The project schedule begins to take shape well before construction starts.
“If the contractor is brought in only after the design has progressed significantly, the plans may need to be reviewed, retendered and renegotiated. This can take months”, says Jarkko Salmenoja, SVP, Data Centers business area at SRV.
Salmenoja highlights three factors that support the fast and reliable delivery of a data center project.
1. Bring the contractor’s expertise into the design phase early
The technical requirements of a data center often become more detailed as design progresses. Time can be saved when the contractor is involved early enough in the process.
Salmenoja points to SRV’s two-stage project management model, in which design and preparations for construction progress in parallel. This brings a practical construction perspective into the project before key solutions are finalised.
“When SRV is involved early, the design can be guided towards structural and material solutions that are practical to build. Preparations for construction can also begin before work starts on site”, Salmenoja says.
Early collaboration also provides more time for procurement. Critical data center equipment and systems can have long lead times. When requirements are identified during the design phase, production capacity can be reserved from suppliers and deliveries coordinated with the progress of construction.
2. The technical scope must be managed as one integrated project
Much of the complexity of a data center lies in its technical systems. Power distribution, cooling and automation must work together with the building structures and continue to operate reliably after commissioning.
If construction and technical systems are designed separately, conflicts between them may only become apparent on site.
SRV’s in-house building services engineering specialists are involved from the design phase onwards. This allows the impact of technical solutions on construction, costs and the schedule to be assessed as part of the same overall project.
“SRV has its core data center expertise in-house. The required partners are brought into the project, but the knowledge and experience needed to manage the overall scope remain within SRV”, Salmenoja says.
In demanding projects, experience reduces uncertainty. Accumulated expertise helps identify risks early, make decisions in the right order and keep the project moving as requirements become more detailed.
“SRV understands local requirements and uses established supply chains. A shared view of the project situation also helps identify deviations before they begin to affect the schedule”, Salmenoja says.
3. Quality must be ensured throughout the project
In data center projects, international clients and mission-critical systems set quality requirements that are in many respects more stringent than those typically applied in construction in Finland.
Quality is not only about ensuring that the completed building and technical systems function as intended. It is also reflected in the controlled progress of the project. Quality is ensured throughout the project, from design to site inspections, documentation and commissioning.
“In data centers, it is not enough for the end result simply to work. The entire delivery must meet the agreed requirements and progress in a controlled manner according to schedule”, Salmenoja says.
SRV’s experience in mission-critical and technically demanding projects provides a strong foundation for this work. SRV has delivered major and complex projects ranging from hospitals and airport terminals to data centers. These requirements are addressed through the right expertise, fit-for-purpose tools and consistent operating methods. The work is also supported by ISO-certified quality and safety management systems.
In practice, quality means keeping plans and documentation under control and ensuring that information flows between all parties. Deviations are addressed quickly, and the quality of the work is monitored continuously.
“The aim is to get it right the first time. When quality is ensured throughout the work, unnecessary corrections and rework can be avoided. This supports both keeping to schedule and a controlled commissioning process”, Salmenoja says.
SRV is Finland’s largest business premises construction company and one of Finland’s leading data center contractors. SRV is currently constructing the LUMI AI Factory data center in Kajaani and the DayOne data center in Lahti. Both are scheduled to become operational in 2027.
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