Maverick Transportation Technology Center
Maverick Transportation Technology Center
- Tornado-Safe Design: The roof has no openings to help prevent overhead leaks, and is rated to withstand an 18-wheeler landing on it.
- Unique Chiller Placement: The chiller, located inside the bunker, draws in air through louvered concrete walls with 90º turns to avoid damage from flying debris.
- Double Redundant Power: The facility is served by redundant incoming utility power feeds, backed up with two emergency generators as well as dual UPS systems.
- Hassle-Free Startups: Electrical switchgear and controls can synchronize with the utility for smooth, soft transfers of power, controlled by computer touch-screens.
- Innovative Fire Suppression: The fire suppression system uses HFC-125, a liquid gas that will not harm personnel or sensitive electronics.
- A Building Monitoring System provides real-time access to data on critical infrastructure functions, which can be monitored anytime, anywhere.
- Emergency Operations Center: The conference room seats 75, has audiovisual and communication wiring throughout, and doubles as an emergency command center.
Brown Engineers managed the design and construction of fault-tolerant communication, power and technology systems for Maverick’s new Technology Center in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Maverick, a national flatbed transportation firm that relies heavily on hi-tech communications for its extensive logistics operations, asked Brown to help design a data bunker capable of withstanding tornadoes and other catastrophes without loss of critical power, damage to sensitive equipment, or loss of vital data.
The data bunker is built with 16-inch concrete walls and a double redundant power system. Its power system features two incoming power feeds, two emergency generators, and two Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems. All critical equipment is housed inside this sturdy bunker, including the standby generator, chiller, and mechanical cooling systems. Placing the center’s chiller inside the bunker protects the chiller but presents a tremendous challenge in providing sufficient air flow for its air intake. The solution: the chiller draws in outside air through louvered concrete walls, offset from the chiller at 90º to further protect it from flying debris.
Brown also developed and implemented a Building Monitoring System for Maverick’s key infrastructure functions, to provide real-time monitoring, alarming, historical data collection, and web browser capabilities for critical systems such as generators, uninterruptible power supplies, power meters, leak detection, humidity and temperature sensors, HVAC and fire suppression systems. Authorized staff can monitor these systems anytime and anywhere via laptops, smart phones, or similar handheld devices.
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