UKFast tries for underground cool

Chief exec Lawrence Jones seeks sub-surface datacentre location

Manchester colo specialist UKFast is looking to build an underground datacentre for the construction and environmental advantages.

Lawrence Jones (pictured), chief executive of UKFast, said the firm is on the hunt for a site on which to build an underground datacentre that will be the largest in the region so far.

"We're looking for an underground site because it makes perfect sense. Previously we've ripped out office interiors and sealed windows to create a shell from which to build. An underground space would give us that shell instantly," Jones said.

"It's also easier to maintain a constant temperature and we can siphon the excess heat generated by the hardware to heat the rest of the office block above."

An underground datacentre could be more environmentally friendly – key for a colo provider aiming for carbon neutrality – and has no need for windows, he added.

UKFast, which builds its own datacentres, already has four Trafford Park facilities: MaNOC 4, 5, 6, and 7. It is looking for an office-block location to use for its underground development, he noted.

"People might think I am mad, taking on another massive project when we've not finished our Technology Park HQ," said Jones. "It's a huge project and we're at the early stages of finding this perfect location at the moment. But we've always done things differently."

UKFast hosts about 500,000 domains and 5,000 customers.