Facebook is one of the most popular web- sites in the world, and its new data center in Prineville, Ore., is the fi rst wholly owned and operated by the company. Considered a key corporate asset in today’s data intensive econ- omy, data centers house a company’s computer systems and supporting infrastructure. Prior to building the new Prineville Data Center,
Facebook leased space from various data center providers. The new freestanding center is one of the most energy-effi cient ones ever built, and the company’s fi rst LEED Gold certifi ed building. Similar in spirit to the social network’s web-
site, the data center has a simple and minimalist design. Its exterior is clad in nearly 50,000 square feet of T2630 metal wall panels from Metal Sales Manufacturing Corp., Louisville, Ky., that perfectly complement its neutral-colored concrete and sur- rounding landscape. The 24-gauge steel panels are exposed direct-fastened with 30-inch-wide coverage and have an Acrylic Coated Galvalume fi nish. Not meant to be showy, the energy-effi cient building’s exterior features a clean and functional façade. The only hint that the building serves one of the busiest websites in the world—housing tens of thousands of Facebook’s servers, which contain information for its 800 million users—is the
56 METAL CONSTRUCTION NEWS October 2012
single blue fl ag displaying the iconic Facebook logo outside the entrance. A row of generators that will provide power
to the facility if commercial power is interrupted is housed on the side of the structure. Ap- proximately 15,000 square feet of Metal Sales’ customized T2630 perforated wall panels create a screen wall that provides controlled access to the year. The 0.050-aluminum panels are coated on each side with Metallic Silver PVDF (Kynar 500) paint, and its custom-perforated pattern fa- cilitates ventilation for the diesel-fueled genera- tors. Metal Sales worked with the project team to develop a panel with 52.94 percent open area for ventilation that still provided the structural integrity needed for the screen wall. "I am impressed with Metal Sales' ability to
customize a product that meets the specifi c requirements of the Facebook Data Center Project," says Jim Stedman, president of Sted- man Sheetmetal Inc., Redmond, Ore. "The panels surrounding the generator yard had to meet strict specifi cations. Metal Sales was able to work with the design team to create a customized panel that satisfi es these requirements." Completed in spring 2011, construction on a second identical Prineville Data Center began that
fall. Facebook will have additional data centers in North Carolina and Sweden. Metal Sales has been specifi ed for the North Carolina data center, cur- rently under construction.
Facebook Prineville Data Center, Prineville, Ore.
Metal installer: Stedman Sheetmetal Inc., Redmond, Ore. Architect: Sheehan Partners, Chicago General contractor: DPR Fortis Mission Critical, a joint venture of DPR Construction, Redwood City, Calif., and Fortis Construction, Portland, Ore. Metal wall panels: Metal Sales Manufacturing Corp., Louisville, Ky., www.metalsales.us.com, Circle #74