De-Risking the Unknown: How Design Review Protects Data Centre Projects
Inherited designs can look complete. On paper, you’ve got the clash reports, models, and sign-offs. But if you're a contractor or D&B specialist handed a RIBA Stage 3 or 4 design and expected to deliver it without a risk check, you may be stepping into a minefield.
“We’re getting more and more inquiries from contractors who’ve inherited a design and need it de-risked before they arrive on site. That’s where we come in.” - Daniel Lynch, Executive Director, Senior Mechanical
Without a proper review, you’re not just building to spec - you’re potentially signing up to someone else’s oversights.
Where things go wrong: Even polished models can mask big problems:
- BMS oversights: Incomplete definitions of hardwired vs. high-level interfaces can inflate cabling scope and cost. Proprietary systems can require extra JACE connectors late in the day. MCC panels not sized and selected at design stage end up without a clear location with the needed access clearances, ending up being installed where they add up to extra costs in Electrical wiring/cabling.
- Sprinkler systems: Dry-type systems often aren’t modelled with correct slopes, clashing with M&E services. Voids needing protection are missed causing costly reworks during the construction stage.
- Fire strategy gaps: FSDs not accessible, or penetrations not complying with fire separation standards. Inergen venting locations not clearly defined.
- Ventilation missteps: Plumbing VTR vents can conflict with fresh air intakes if poorly coordinated. Heat emitting plants and equipment put too close to each other bringing about shot-cycling issues and decreased equipment performance. Fresh air and extract air opening locations along external walls are an eyesore and/or not provided with the correct minimum clearance.
- Mechanical errors: Admin area FCUs needing specific filter type (e.g. F7) often need reselecting-only to discover the new or replacement units won’t fit, or require hard-ducted return that can't be installed post-handover. Psychrometric analysis overlooked or skipped leading to condensation risks. Acoustics
- Structural headaches: Incorrect ope sizes for FA/EA in prefab walls can’t be reversed without coring-and that’s if the structural engineer agrees. Local seismic requirements not complied by the design.
- Calculation fatigue: Pressure drops, ESP, chilled water volumes and pipe losses often aren’t recalculated as the model evolves-leading to pump, buffer vessel, or AHU specs that no longer match real-world needs, consuming more footprint than what is required.
- Electrical errors: Harmonics studies missed or done incorrectly affecting the power quality, equipment longevity, and system reliability.
“The contractor becomes responsible for the flaws in the consultant’s design-and often has no insight into the calcs behind it.” - Neil Reguine, Senior Mechanical Engineer, Chartered Engineer
What Metec does in a late-stage design review:
When brought in at RIBA Stage 4–6, Metec applies a rapid but methodical process:
- We start with a prioritised review based on known weak spots: BMS, mechanical systems, ventilation, fire strategy, structural coordination, and more.
- Our team checks what’s designed against what’s required-by both regulations and real-world construction logic.
- Once the critical issues are addressed, we shift focus to less obvious details that can still impact buildability, budget, or performance.
“We’ve supported contractors stuck in a bind-turning around full design reviews in just weeks. The sooner you catch the risks, the less expensive they become.” - Daniel Lynch, Executive Director, Senior Mechanical
A joined-up team that solves, not just flags.
“Because our teams are in-house and in one room, we avoid the delays you get from outsourcing or time zone juggling. Everyone who needs to weigh in is right here.” - Neil Reguine, Senior Mechanical Engineer, Chartered Engineer
That’s more than just convenient. It means when an issue is flagged during a design review, we can pull in the relevant experts immediately-whether it’s recalculating CHW volumes or redesigning an electrical riser to avoid structural rework.
We don’t just identify the risks. We resolve them-with the technical depth and cross-discipline coordination it takes to keep data centre projects moving.
Design reviews grounded in M+E+S thinking
Behind every Metec review is a joined-up M+E+S approach. Because our mechanical, electrical, and sustainability teams are integrated, every fix we propose also considers long-term performance, PUE, carbon, cost, and compliance.
Even at late stages, we look ahead: accommodating future capacity in plant layouts, recommending modular designs for flexibility, or spotting off-site fabrication opportunities to save time. We don’t just look for what’s broken-we look for how to build it better.
Acting like part of your team
“The current ask out there is: ‘Can you help us at this stage?’ And the answer is yes-we can move quickly because we have the expertise in-house.” - Daniel Lynch, Executive Director, Senior Mechanical
We integrate into your delivery team quickly-operating with the urgency of someone who owns the outcome. That’s what helped us turn around:
- A temporary cooling design for a 30 MW data centre in Germany in just 4 weeks.
- A full cooling plant and distribution systems design with detailed Energy Analysis of the DUB10 UPS facility in 4–5 weeks, followed by additional AHU and FCU scope design for the main reception areas.
We speak the same language as your team. We understand the programme pressures. And we’re built to keep pace.
Why it matters
Inherited designs will always carry risk. But with the right support, those risks can be caught-and resolved-before they become show-stoppers on site.
With Metec, you don’t just get a review. You get a problem-solving partner with the technical depth and delivery mindset to de-risk what’s been handed to you-and help you deliver it with confidence. To learn more get in touch HERE
