Transforming a former newspaper printing facility into one of Canada's largest and most advanced data center facilities

Digital Realty Wholesale Data Center Conversion Design at TOR1

Digital Realty Trust (DRT), then DuPont Fabros Technology (DFT) prior to their merger with DRT, set out to transform the iconic Toronto Star newspaper printing facility, TOR1, into one of the largest wholesale colocation data centers in the Greater Toronto Area. They engaged us to provide buildings engineering, commissioning, and information technology and commissioning services.

We worked closely DFT and DRT’s internal specialists to develop a design that increased the amount of leasable space within the constraints of the building’s footprint and structure, while also meeting desired density, reliability, and operational requirements. This involved reconfiguring an existing custom and purpose built printing facility to serve as a home for a DRT’s 64 megawatt (MW) hyperscale data center. We also designed cooling and power elements that would fit within designated spaces but still satisfy DRT’s service level agreements with their customers.

Today, TOR1 is one of the most advanced and energy efficient data center facilities in Canada with a power usage effectiveness rating (PUE) of 1.25. It houses 23 computer rooms ranging from 8,600–13,000 square feet (799–1,208 square metres) and serves clients around the world.