eir Drogheda
Retrofitting an existing telecom exchange three-storey building into a Tier III data centre
Services (1)
Sectors
Location
Drogheda, Ireland
Client
eir
Architect
RKD Architects
Operational telecom exchange building, eir Drogheda will operate as a tier III data centre. Phase one was completed in November 2025, consisting of retrofitting the ground floor of the telecom exchange building into a 1MW data hall and supporting electrical rooms. Phase two involves converting the first floor into a 2MW data hall and supporting electrical rooms. Phase three consists of retrofitting the second floor into a 2MW data hall and supporting electrical rooms. Construction of phase two is due to get underway in late 2026, with construction of phase three due in 2029.
With the critical communications that this building supports, close coordination with the multiple stakeholders was required. We also carried out computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies to optimise the airflow distribution within the data halls and to forecast any potential air recirculation issues in the chiller yard. A noise assessment of the building, including all new plant equipment, was also conducted.
Cormac Farrell commented, "Working alongside our client has been a real pleasure. Our technical guidance, collaborative approach, and commitment have contributed significantly to getting this project underway and have been crucial to the delivery of this mission critical facility."
We performed a detailed comparison of different cooling technologies such as indirect adiabatic coolers (IAC), water-cooled DX units and water-cooled chillers. For efficiency reasons and space limitations, we utilised air-cooled free cooling chillers on this project. Inside the building, in-row coolers and fan wall units provide cooling to the data halls. By utilising high chilled water temperatures in the cooling system, the amount of free cooling that can be achieved per annum is maximised.
