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Start Campus and Legrand: A Strategic Alliance for Sustainable Innovation in Next-Generation Data Centers | Legrand United Kingdom

As infrastructures become ever more diverse, scalable and HPC-focused, the implementation of hybrid cooling solutions is essential to efficiently meet their current and future needs without changing their design. A leading benchmark for high-performance infrastructure across Europe, Start Campus fully recognized this necessity and called upon Legrand to complete its installation in one of Europe's largest hyperscale, AI-ready campuses in Sines (Portugal) with USystems’ innovative HPC cooling solutions. 
Central to this project is a strategic partnership with Legrand, chosen for its proven expertise and reliability in delivering complex technical solutions for data center environments. 
 

Key benefits at a glance!


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Solutions that align with Start Campus’
zero-waste sustainability objectives

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Another step towards
a PUE of 1.1 and WUE of 0

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A comprehensive lifecycle partnership 
ensuring long-term reliability

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A joint innovation roadmap towards 
AI-optimized and smart grid-ready systems

THE PROJECT

Challenge

• Avdanced cooling system in place to be taken into consideration

• Cutting-edge, highly-efficient and sustainable cooling solutions required given the project’s scale and the technical demands of this AI-ready and environmentally-friendly site

• Greater efficiency needed while operating on 100% renewable energy

Response

• ColdLogik rear door heat exchangers, from Legrand's specialist brand USystems

• The first intelligent rear door heat exchanger, it now boasts the most energy-efficient low to high density rear door cooling solution currently available in the world

• It enhances the efficiency of data centers without the need for any changes to their current design
 

Outcome

• Minimized energy losses and therefore reduced cooling needs, leading to a PUE of 1.1 and WUE of 0

• 80–90% power savings compared to traditional data center cooling approaches

• Comprehensive lifecycle approach ensuring long-term reliability and performance as well as operational excellence

• Strengthened innovation and sustainability strategies for both companies

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THE CUSTOMER'S FEEDBACK


Discover how Start Campus optimized the efficiency, scalable performance and sustainability of its Sines site thanks to Legrand.

Watch the full video featuring Robert DUNN (CEO of Start Campus), Owen WILSON (CMO of Start Campus), Alberto PETERMANN (Head of Design & Construction at Start Campus) and Rita LOURENÇO (Key Account Manager Critical Power at Legrand), sharing their insights on the project and the strong collaboration that made it a success. 
 

These are very technically challenging projects, so we need to work with the best in the business to meet those complex challenges. We've been able to work with very good partners, such as Legrand, to deliver for our customers.

ROBERT DUNN
CEO OF START CAMPUS

THE SOLUTION

USystems: Rear door heat exchangers (RDHx)


To enhance its advanced facility (capacity of 1.2 GW, built entirely around sustainability and efficiency), Start Campus selected Legrand as a key technology partner due to the extensive expertise of its USystems brand - bringing over 18 years of experience in rear door cooling solutions, combined with Legrand’s comprehensive portfolio of data center solutions.

Start Campus specifically opted for the Rear Door Heat Exchanger (RDHx), an energy-efficient cooling solution installed directly on the back of a server rack. It captures and removes heat at the source using chilled water, significantly reducing the demand on traditional room cooling.

ColdLogik's Cooling Solutions

6 key assets that made the difference for Start Campus


  • High-performance, rack-level cooling specifically designed for high-performance compute, capable of supporting the highest IT duty at rack level
     
  • Adaptive intelligence, enabling the rear door coolers to operate autonomously and adjust cooling capacity in real time based on actual IT load, without human intervention
     
  • Best-in-class performance at rack level, described as “second to none” in terms of cooling capability
     
  • Significant energy efficiency gains, with 80–90% power savings compared to traditional data center cooling approaches
     
  • A water-free cooling solution, eliminating water usage and wastage, reinforcing the sustainability profile of the site
     
  • Exceptional PUE performance, with the facility operating around 1.1, far below the global market average
     

A major advantage for our customers is the full lifecycle partnership we are able to offer them, including knowledge sharing, maintenance support, proactive problem detection, and long-term collaboration beyond commissioning.

RITA LOURENÇO
KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER CRITICAL POWER, LEGRAND

The collaboration between Start Campus and Legrand represents a long-term strategic alliance. 
Future technological developments from Legrand can further enhance data center operations, such as those at Start Campus, driving next-generation, AI-ready, and environmentally responsible data centers.

As Amélie Zegmout, Iberia Director at Legrand, explains: "As an example, our new high-efficiency modular Keor FLEX UPS offers the best performance currently possible. It is scalable and will have the capabilities to be used for smart grid services."

Legrand is committed to providing exceptional customer service, enabling the Group to offer more tailored, responsive, and innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of its customers. 

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact us to get more information and to receive a personalized configuration quote! We're committed to providing the best possible service, and we'll work with you to find a solution that meets your needs. 

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