DataVita Ltd: DV1 Data Centre – Lanarkshire

DV1 is a purpose-built, colocation data center operated by DataVita, situated in Chapelhall, Lanarkshire, in central Scotland. The facility opened in 2016 and spans approximately 8,000 m² of data center space. 

DV1 holds the distinction of being Uptime Institute Tier III certified for both design and construction — the only such facility in Scotland.  It has also been recognized as OCP Ready for Hyperscale, reflecting capability to support high-density and liquid-cooled workloads.

Strategically, DV1 leverages Scotland’s lower-carbon grid, enabling 100 % renewable energy operations and very low power carbon intensity.  Its central location between Glasgow and Edinburgh offers good connectivity to major UK and European markets. 

⚙️ Facility Highlights

• Total data center footprint: 8,000 m² 
• Power capacity: 24 MW available, with 40 MW design potential (announced)
• Redundancy: N+N UPS system, dual power paths (A & B string) 
• Cooling: indirect evaporative cooling (free cooling / adiabatic) with design resilience 
• Support for high-density racks: capable of 200 kW+ per rack in air/liquid cooling configurations 
• Fuel & generator systems:
• • Generators in N+N configuration 
• • Bulk fuel storage: 4 × 96,000 litres with 12-hour day tank, giving ~76 hours of fuel backup 
• Design & construction certifications: Uptime Institute Tier III (design + build) 
• OCP Ready for Hyperscale certification (Gold standard) for ability to support HPC / AI / liquid cooling workloads 

🔐 Security & Compliance

• Perimeter security: twin, touch-sensitive anti-scale fence, sterile zone, and secure loading bays 
• Vehicle & pedestrian access: ANPR (automatic number plate recognition), secure gated entrance, pedestrian turnstiles, anti-tailgate systems 
• Access control: multi-factor authentication (2FA) at entry points; biometric / standalone controls available 
• CCTV & monitoring: over 130 HD cameras (with AI features), 30-day retention; in-rack CCTV option 
• Physical separation: all racks covered for front and back access; halls accessible only via secure data corridors (no external walls)
• Security staff: 24/7 dedicated on-site guards; all staff vetting/security clearance 
• Fire detection & suppression: VESDA aspirating smoke detection, addressable conventional alarm, NOVEC or equivalent suppression systems 
• Flood risk: located outside of 1-in-500 year flood plain 
• Certifications: ISO 27001, ISO 14001, ISO 9001 (per Ocolo listing)

🌐 Connectivity & Carrier Access

• Carrier-neutral facility with multiple providers, cross-connects, and dark fiber offerings 
• Fiber access: 4 separate fiber entry paths with no point of convergence
• Meet-Me Rooms (MMRs): dual MMRs for interconnection services 
• Cloud on-ramps: support for AWS Direct Connect, Azure ExpressRoute, IBM Cloud Direct Link, Alibaba Cloud, etc. 
• Peering / Internet Exchange: Scotland IX (LINX) peering support 
• Connectivity capacity: up to 10 Gbps resilient links, fiber (single + multi-mode), copper, IP transit 

💼 Who It Serves

• Enterprises and cloud service providers seeking high-security, high-availability colocation in Scotland/UK
• AI, HPC, and compute-intensive workloads requiring high-density racks and liquid cooling capabilities
• Public sector, local authorities, hospitals, and governmental agencies needing robust and resilient infrastructure
• Content, media, and network providers requiring low-latency connectivity to UK and European data hubs
• Sustainability-conscious organizations, given DV1’s full use of renewable power and carbon-efficient design