Data Centre Construction: How GRP is Revolutionising Infrastructure
Building the Backbone of the Digital World
As data centres become the nerve centres of global connectivity, the demand for innovative materials that deliver on durability, safety, and environmental performance is intensifying. Traditional construction materials such as steel and concrete often fall short when it comes to the specialised needs of these critical environments. Enter Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) – a material that is redefining how data centres are designed, constructed, and maintained. Engineered Composites, the UK’s leading supplier of GRP systems, is at the forefront of this shift, providing tailored GRP solutions for structural, cable management, access, and safety applications across data centre infrastructure.
Why GRP is Ideal for Data Centre Construction
Data centres demand materials that are not only structurally robust but also non-conductive,
corrosion-resistant, lightweight, and easy to install. GRP meets all these criteria and more. It
outperforms conventional materials in harsh and controlled environments alike, offering a lower
carbon footprint, excellent mechanical strength, and extended service life without the need for
continual maintenance. Its properties make it ideal for the growing number of data centre
projects that prioritise modularity, sustainability, and speed of deployment.
GRP Grating for Flooring: Lightweight and Load-Bearing Excellence
Engineered Composites’ GRP grating systems provide high-performance flooring solutions within walkways, mezzanines, cooling tower access platforms, and service corridors. Available in open mesh, mini mesh, and solid top variants, these gratings offer strong load-bearing capacity and integral anti-slip surfaces.
GRP grating for flooring ensures that airflow, drainage, and worker safety are maintained while meeting loading requirements up to 7.5kN/m². The gritted surface remains slip-resistant throughout its lifecycle, even in oily or wet environments, enhancing workplace safety in high-traffic data centre zones.
GRP Box Sections for Cable Management: Structured Efficiency
Efficient cable management is essential to data centre operations, where the volume of power and network cabling continues to increase. Engineered Composites offers GRP box sections designed to house, separate, and route cable systems safely and neatly. These profiles are non-conductive and thermally stable, protecting sensitive infrastructure from heat and electrical hazards.
With their high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent fire performance (achieving Class 2 under BS476 Part 7:1997), GRP box sections reduce risks while enhancing layout flexibility and simplifying system upgrades or rerouting.
GRP Handrails for Secure Walkways: Safety Without Compromise
Access routes and elevated platforms require dependable safety systems. GRP handrails from Engineered Composites deliver a non-conductive, corrosion-resistant solution ideal for high-voltage and rooftop environments. Whether installed as standard or modular handrail systems, they ensure fall protection without interfering with nearby equipment or requiring grounding.
Fully compliant with BS4592:0 and UV-stabilised for long-term exposure, these handrails are designed to maintain structural integrity and user comfort in fluctuating environmental conditions.
Structural Applications: GRP Pultruded Profiles and Beams
From support structures to walkways and service frames, GRP pultruded profiles and I-beams offer versatile solutions for data centre environments. Manufactured to BSEN13706 E23 grade, Engineered Composites’ profiles provide uniform strength, dimensional stability, and resistance to mechanical and chemical stresses.
Used as part of modular build systems or as replacements for steel, GRP structural components enable fast deployment without compromising on performance or durability. The reduced weight significantly lowers installation costs and project timelines.
GRP Pultruded profiles & beams
Versatile solutions for data centre environments
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Cooling and Ventilation Support: GRP Scaffold Tubes and Platforms
Supporting cooling towers and rooftop ventilation systems, GRP scaffold tubes and access platforms are essential in modern data centres. These components offer chemical and corrosion resistance and can be fabricated to site-specific configurations.
Unlike steel alternatives, GRP scaffolding remains stable under thermal fluctuations and wet conditions while eliminating the risk of rust and conductive hazards near HVAC and electrical units.
Fire Retardant Performance: A Safety Priority
In critical environments like data centres, fire safety cannot be compromised. Engineered
Composites supplies GRP components manufactured with fire retardant resins, meeting Class 2
fire rating under BS476 Part 7:1997. These materials are self-extinguishing and emit low smoke,
reducing the risk of equipment damage and ensuring safer evacuation conditions.
Safety continues underfoot with GRP stair treads, interlocking floor panels, nosings, and decking strips designed to enhance traction in both internal and external settings. Products like the DECK500 system feature robust pultruded designs that span up to 1.5m and support design loads of 5kN/m², offering both safety and installation speed.
Environmental Benefits: Lower Carbon, Longer Life
With the global data centre market pushing toward carbon neutrality, GRP presents a compelling solution. GRP production requires up to 75% less energy than steel and significantly less energy for transportation. Its high strength-to-weight ratio also supports material efficiency. According to carbon emission studies, Engineered Composites’ GRP systems can reduce embodied carbon in infrastructure by 60–85% when compared with secondary steel. Combined with a typical 50-year service life and negligible maintenance needs, this positions GRP as the go-to material for long-term sustainability.
Compliance and Certification
Engineered Composites manufactures to ISO 9001 quality standards and ensures compliance
with:
● BSEN13706: Pultruded profile structural performance
● BSEN4592: Grating and industrial flooring standards
● BS476 Part 7:1997 Class 2: Fire rating
● BS4592:0 2006+A1 2012: Handrail and stair systems
Future-Proofing Data Centre Design
The modular and adaptable nature of GRP supports evolving needs in data centre layouts and upgrades. Its resistance to environmental stressors, reduced carbon footprint, and broad compliance with safety and structural regulations make it a cornerstone of next-generation data centre construction.
From floor to ceiling, from perimeter security to internal walkways, GRP is redefining how operators and engineers plan, build, and maintain critical infrastructure.
Conclusion: Partnering with Engineered Composites
For over 37 years, Engineered Composites has supplied high-performance GRP systems tailored to the most demanding industries. Their deep product range, technical expertise, and industry credentials position them as the partner of choice for data centre developers seeking innovative, reliable, and sustainable construction materials.
From GRP grating for flooring to GRP box sections for cable management, and GRP handrails for secure walkways, their products are engineered for excellence. In a rapidly evolving digital age, Engineered Composites is helping data centres build smarter, safer, and more sustainable environments.
