ICCU Data Center

The Idaho Central Credit Union’s new Data Center is not just a new home to their IT core, it is a cornerstone in their campus masterplan that unifies the campus with the full build-out of the central plaza and defines the future growth of the IT backbone their business depends on.
The plaza, at the center of the campus, was to be an investment in their employees and is large enough to have been a project on its own. Meandering paths lead you around water features and link several event spaces, that include a commercial kitchen, designed to host corporate and community events.
The Data Center boasts 10,000 s.f. of IT white space with generators three times the size of shipping containers. Servers in this space required extreme environmental control and posed complex challenges. The space had to be positively pressured, meaning air must always be flowing away from the servers, to avoid dust collection. The temperature must remain chilled at a constant level so servers could not overheat. Extreme fire protection measures were taken, implementing a system to remove all oxygen within the server space in case of fire. This type of system required extensive coordination to ensure staff safety and operability. The environmental controls, multiple levels of required security clearance and five different floor levels built two-stories all contributed to the complexity of this IT facilities within.
During the yearlong design program phase, changes in video conferencing and communication technology progressed to the point where a redesign was necessary to meet client needs. In addition to technological advancements, ICCU grew faster than anticipated during the two-year construction phase, causing them to utilize flexibility of their space earlier than they thought.
The interior of the new data center building supports the company’s culture of making work a fun place to be. From the green glow of lights at the main stairwell to the modern art prints in the main lobby space, to the break room complete with ping pong, the workplace is very user friendly. The Owner’s commitment to artwork and plantscaping throughout the facility adds to the warmth and energy of the spaces. Not your typical data center.