What is BS EN 50600-2-1 about?
BS EN 50600-2-1 is the first subpart of the second part of multiple series that gives guidelines for the construction of buildings and other structures which provide accommodation for data centres based upon the criteria and classification for “physical security” within EN 50600-1 in support of availability.
EN 50600-2 specifies requirements and recommendations for particular facilities and infrastructures to support the relevant classification for “availability”, “physical security” and “energy efficiency enablement” selected from EN 50600-1.
The EN 50600-2 series defines the requirements for the data centre design.
BS EN 50600-2-1 specifies requirements and recommendations for the following:
- Location and site selection (taking into account natural environment and adjacencies);
- Protection from environmental risks
- Site configuration
- Building construction
- Building configuration
- Provision of access
- Intrusion protection
- Physical fire protection
- Protection against damage from water
- Quality construction measures
NOTE-
Safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements are outside the scope of BS EN 50600-2-1 and are covered by other standards and regulations. However, the information given in this document can be of assistance in meeting these standards and regulations.
BS EN 50600 series of documents does not address the selection of information technology and network telecommunications equipment, software and associated configuration issues.
Who is BS EN 50600-2-1 for?
BS EN 50600-2-1 on data centre facilities and infrastructures is useful for:
- Owners, operators, facility managers, ICT managers, project managers, main contractors
- Consulting engineers, architects, building designers and builders, system and installation designers, auditors, test and commissioning agents
- Facility and infrastructure integrators, suppliers of equipment
- Installers, maintainers
Why should you use BS EN 50600-2-1?
Data centres usually provide modular, scalable, and flexible facilities and infrastructures to easily accommodate the rapidly changing requirements of the market. In addition, energy consumption of data centres has become critical both from an environmental point of view (reduction of environmental footprint) and with respect to economic considerations (cost of energy) for the data centre operator.
The needs of data centres also vary in terms of availability of service, the provision of security and the objectives for energy efficiency. These needs and objectives influence the design of data centres in terms of building construction, power distribution, environmental control, telecommunications cabling and physical security as well as the operation of the data centre. Effective management and operational information are important in order to monitor achievement of the defined needs and objectives.
Recognizing the substantial resource consumption, particularly of energy, of larger data centres, it is also important to provide tools for the assessment of that consumption both in terms of overall value and of source mix and to provide Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to evaluate trends and drive performance improvements.
Therefore, the EN 50600 series is designed as a framework of standards, technical specifications and technical reports covering the design, the operation and management, the key performance indicators for energy efficient operation of the data centre as well as a data centre maturity model.
Enhancing physical security includes a variety of measures such as data centre design, fire protection and investing in a specialized security team. BS EN 50600-2-1 helps you ensure protection against flaming and flashover, heat radiation generated by fire to meet the appropriate protection level. BS EN 50600-2-1 specifies guidelines of requirements and recommendations to support you with information technology within data centres.
Briefly, BS EN 50600-2-1 includes information related to the the site selection and the building design of data centres which address security issues from a constructional point of view.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS EN 50600-2-1:2021 supersedes BS EN 50600‑2‑1:2014, which will be withdrawn on 12 November 2021
This document includes the following significant technical changes with respect to EN 50600-2-1:2014:
- The document has been completely revised and restructured
- The interrelationship between this document and EN 50600-2-5 concerning constructional prerequisites for the implementation of security concepts and desired security systems has been more clearly presented
- Clause 6 “Site configuration” has been split and relevant subclauses have been moved into a new Clause 7 “Outside spaces”
- Clause 7 “Building construction” has been completely reworked to present all requirements and recommendations in a single Clause 8
- Clause 8 “Data centre spaces and access routes” has been revised to focus on the design of data centre spaces (now Clause 9)
- a new Clause 10 “Construction of data centre spaces” has been added
- Clause 9 “Fire compartments, fire barriers and fire suppression systems” has been revised (now Clause 11)
- Annex A on additional requirements and recommendations has been removed
- Annex B on physical protection against external hazards has been revised as Annex A “Building materials”
- a new Annex B summarizing the requirements and recommendations of Clause 5 has been added
- Clauses 1 to 4 have been amended accordingly
