Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1255991
July/August/September 2020 I 33 FIGURE 3: Illustrates how the electrical riser (shown in blue) originally routed into the ER. It was then connected to a large junction box (shown in yellow) and an alternative routing under a raised floor continued to the remaining floors (shown in red). The mishap reinforces the need for architects and electrical contractors to become better acquainted with ICT infrastructure standards and installation best prac- tices. Likewise, ICT designers and installers ought to become more familiar with the work of electrical engi- neers and contractors. The location of the electrical riser presented a num- ber of challenges, particularly with accessibility and space in the already constricted room. In fact, this arrangement reduced the project to consist of two two-post racks instead of four. The team explored methods of reorienting the room to take advantage of as much space as possible and quickly realized that two racks would not suffice. Keeping one rack open for incoming servers and network equip- ment would cause the 500 cables to overload the other rack. Clearly, a significant rearrangement was necessary. To provide as much rack space as possible without thwarting electrical changes, the team proposed a raised floor solution under which an electrical riser entered into a large junction box, then moved horizontally (still underneath the floor) until the conduits reached a wall and travelled upward behind it. In Fig- ure 3, notice that the conduits below the floor stopped at the junction box where they were redirected toward the wall; this occurred beneath the raised floor. Once they reached the wall, the conduits trav- elled upward, keeping this electrical solu- tion out of sight while creating space for the racks. With this solution, the room accom- modated three racks—two of which split the required telecom cabling—and still provided enough space for any potential expansion in the future. The unique lay- out of this system also kept electrical work in mind, permitting electricians to remove floor panels as needed and giving them complete access to the junction box to perform any necessary services. CABLING, CABLING, AND MORE CABLING The open ceiling concept above the majority of ANSYS Hall exposed much of the cabling and pathways, but it was requested that the data cabling be hidden as much as possible in corridors without significantly impacting the budget. A polymer cable tray insert was installed into the wire basket tray as an alternative to a solid bottom cable tray. With the polymer cable tray, the cabling was hidden from view but accessible for any technical changes or additions. In areas with an acoustical ceiling tile, the polymer insert was removed from the wire basket tray, allowing the con- tractor to provide a polymer insert wherever necessary and to save on nonessential material and labor costs.