Based on the Australian national average household electricity consumption of 1625KWh per quarter, once power is at the planned 75% utilisation of the 3MW of capacity for DC3 when full it will consume as much power as roughly 3000 average households!

Below is a picture of the 11m long switchboard which will distribute this power throughout the facility. It currently sits in storage awaiting installation.

At the end of 2006 PIPE Networks staff were asked by management to put forward suggestions of what areas they thought the company could improve in.

Recognising that PIPE as an operator of 5 data centres in Australia is a significant user of electricity (DC3 will be hooked up with two diverse 1.5MW power feeds), one of the most popular topics discussed was how to become more socially responsible when it comes to the way we impact the environment as an organisation.

And so came PIPE Green. A committee run by staff members to oversee changes which will ensure that PIPE Networks is a company that is as environmentally friendly as possible.

Since its inception less than 6 months ago PIPE Green has arranged the following:

• participation in Business Clean Up Australia Day by the Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne offices
• the move to a total office recycling scheme including small recycling bins under the desk of each staff member
• water removed from all manholes and cable chambers is transported, treated and re-used in a way which benefits the community such as for irrigation at a Melbourne cricket oval
• "Project PIPE Lights" which is a simple strategy to remind staff of the differences they can make in the workplace. This includes the odd poster around the office as a reminder to do things like switch off monitors when you’re away from your desk or turn off the lights if you’re the last to leave at night

PIPE Green is also currently researching the following projects:

• a PIPE solar farm
• a tree planting project with the aim of making the company Carbon neutral
• green power for some or all of PIPE’s power needs (including the data centres)

Further detail on what PIPE Green is up to can be found here:
http://pipenetworksgreen.blogspot.com/

Power room tray work started today. The first layer of trays is almost complete, with the second layer to be started later today and finished tomorrow. Once that's done the painting in the UPS room will be completed.

Air conditioners are arriving on-site tomorrow, with UPS's and switchboards arriving by week's end.

At 120kW, the UPS room for DC3 will have more cooling capacity upon completion than the 2nd room (known as DC2) in our Creek St facility.

The first of four generators to be installed will be a Cummins V12 Turbo intercooled generator. This SNMP capable piece of machinery has 750kVA capacity and when the data centre is full will chew through approximately 800L of diesel per hour when operational!

Builders and painters were relaxing today with a public holiday for Labour Day, and our Data Centre doors stayed closed.

So for an Offsite Update:

The plans for the cable tray installation are almost finalised and work on this will commence next Wednesday.

The fire suppression design is underway.

The main switchboard has been tested and is ready for delivery next week.

The six computer room air conditioners will be dispatched tomorrow and will be expected onsite late next week.