Australian crane company Marr Contracting is using its innovations in heavy-lift luffing tower cranes and complex cranage services to change the ways data centres are built around the world.
Used to house computer, telecommunications and data storage systems, data centres can use as much electricity as a small town.
Marr has developed a series of bespoke solutions for construction of data centres and giga factory projects, aiming to improve productivity by increasing efficient access to multiple work fronts, while at the same time reducing the total number of cranes on a project.
This results in accelerated programs to commercialisation, lower project costs and importantly, the platform for improved safety, higher quality and ‘greener’ construction.
Marr says that the way each of its cranage solutions are shaped differently, depending on the requirements of the job.
But with its unique fleet of heavy lift luffing tower cranes, including the 330-tonne capacity M2480D, Marr can provide high volume construction lifting – maximising the long reach (up to 120 metres), and heavy lift capacity from a single position.
This brings an increased capability to lift larger structural steel and pre-cast components such as columns, beams and panels, and means fewer cranes are needed – freeing up more laydown and onsite construction space.
This provides the capacity to lift larger and heavier pre-assemblies and modules and offers the potential to build structural steelwork with equipment pre-installed, or to build pre-cast in part-room or full-room modules. It also offers potential to install large plant equipment such as diesel generators, water treatment plant and roof steelwork, switch room equipment and data-handling and storage equipment.
Data centre projects have also seen Marr use its Marr Transit System, a modular rail system that provides full crane capability with minimal ground preparation.
The MTS offers increased site coverage with minimum impact on space, a reduction in the number of cranes required, removing site bottlenecks and reducing de-rigs and re-rigs, and superior positioning of crane solutions compared to traditional craneage, avoiding the need to decommission and move cranes as the build continues.
Marr Contracting managing director Simon Marr says the company is always looking to find ways to add value back into a project.
He recalled that in one data centre project, the contractor had used traditional methods with crawler cranes which sat outside the building, leading to site congestion and delays to the installation of water and service infrastructure.
“In contrast, we worked closely with a client on a recent project, who understood how we could help secure their schedule and support their construction methodology,” he says.
“They adopted our craneage philosophy and their project was completed in half the time of the other build.”
“Now this company has become the partner builder for a data centre provider, and every data centre they build is being completed faster. The last one was completed in just 35 weeks, using our cranes,” Marr says.
“We are seeing clients we are working with in Australia completing data centre projects in six months, compared with other constructors we are in discussion within the UK and USA taking 12 months.”
With the knowledge and experience acquired on best practice for the construction of data centres, Marr’s team is now in discussion with clients in Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States who have similar challenges.
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