Advice before your project begins
Cost and risk analyses, feasibility studies and initial project objectives.
Planning data centres, buildings and IT infrastructure
From feasibility study to detailed design: we plan data centres, building services and IT infrastructure, from office buildings with a server room to highly available data centres. Using BIM and digital building models, we coordinate power supply, cooling, networks and servers in a single model. Availability, IT security and scalability shape the architecture, whether for enterprise IT, critical infrastructure, HPC or sovereign AI. Existing facilities and live operations are part of the design from the outset.
Sustainable Data Center Planning
A well-planned project provides clarity on costs, schedules and technical requirements. Our experience gained through demanding data centre projects forms the basis for data centre and general planning that meets your needs.
We combine your individual requirements with careful cost and schedule control. Availability, energy and water use, expandability and commercial viability are assessed together.
We consider reliable delivery of your IT services alongside opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and resource use over the infrastructure’s lifecycle.
Data centre planning with clear climate objectives
High Knowledge coordinates data centre design from the feasibility study through technical planning and preparation for construction. For projects aiming at climate neutrality, we assess energy demand, cooling and heat reuse together. Emission boundaries, reporting periods and evidence must be defined separately: an efficient design alone does not demonstrate climate-neutral operation.
Prepare a feasibility study →
Data centre design: availability, power, cooling, scalability
For new buildings, extensions and existing facilities, we coordinate power supply, cooling, security and operational readiness. Our technical design service covers utility sizing, interfaces between disciplines and specific planning deliverables.
Explore data centre planning →
For projects shaped by regulatory requirements: Critical infrastructure consulting and NIS2 consulting.
Building services design with BIM: technical systems for buildings and server rooms
We design building services for office buildings, server rooms and data centres. BIM and digital building models support the coordination of power supply, cooling and building automation, as well as interfaces between trades.
IT infrastructure planning: networks, servers, security concepts
We plan networks, server and storage infrastructure, and IT security concepts to suit your applications. Availability, scalability and integration with existing systems are considered alongside the requirements of live operations.
Holistic planning and resilient data center design
We align electrical engineering, cooling, security, fire protection and building automation with your business processes. This includes current IT load, planned GPU applications, maintenance windows and which services must continue during a failure. Load growth is documented as a traceable assumption.
This analysis produces a requirements profile and a concept for expansion, redundancy and operation. Geological and site-specific risks, spare space, grid connection and potential heat users are considered early. Technical options can then be compared before detailed design and procurement begin.
Specialist design follows the agreed scope of services. For technical building equipment, we distinguish basic services from additional services such as detailed surveys, simulations or lifecycle cost analysis. The specific project and contract determine the scope; a feasibility study does not replace complete detailed design.
Expertise. Standards. Commitment.
View credentials
Accredited Tier Designer 
Approved auditor 
Sustainable Data Center 
Deutsches Institut für Normung e. V. 
DKE/GK 719 EN 50600 · ISO/IEC 22237 ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 42 International AI standards CEN/CLC JTC 21 European AI standards 
TÜV Rheinland Berlin Brandenburg Pfalz e.V. Verband Beratender Ingenieure e. V. Project experience in figures
25Years in data centres
500+Projects supported
50 kWto20 MWProject power range
Colocation · Enterprise
Edge · AIAcross sectors and applications
Edge · AIAcross sectors and applications
A selection of our clients
Planning, consulting, construction, operations and certification since 2000. References on request.
Professional Qualification and Expertise
High Knowledge is a member of Germany’s association of consulting engineers, VBI. This commits us to accepting work for which the necessary experience, technical resources and qualified staff are available. We develop solutions based on established technical knowledge and practical economic requirements, supporting independent, professionally qualified advice and planning.
Alongside our work in VBI groups, the High Knowledge team participates in other professional organisations and institutions. We bring practical design experience, technical exchange and standards development into our projects. Participation in DIN and DKE connects project experience with the discussion of standards and technical requirements.
We contribute to the development of technical standards, including DIN EN 50600 for data centres, the VDE AR 2842-61 reference model for trustworthy AI and electrical aspects of BIM under STD 1000.9.1. This work develops our knowledge alongside the standards themselves.
This experience informs our projects and helps us consider current and emerging requirements. Our focus is on designing and delivering IT infrastructure and data centres that can adapt to future needs.
The Planning is Often Divided Into Different Work Phases:
Project definition
IT load, availability, site and expansion requirements are clarified together. You receive documented design assumptions, open questions and a defined scope for the specialist services required.
Preliminary design
We compare power, cooling and redundancy as integrated options. Functional diagrams, space requirements, a cost estimate and an initial timetable provide a transparent basis for selecting a concept.
Design development
The selected solution is calculated and coordinated with the architecture and specialist disciplines. The system concept, key dimensions, cost calculation and technical interfaces provide the basis for the next approvals.
Approval documentation
We prepare the technical building-services documents needed for required approvals and coordinate them with the other design participants. Questions and adjustments are incorporated into the design.
Detailed design
Systems and service routes are developed to construction-ready detail. Coordinated drawings and technical specifications support delivery; the installation and workshop drawings prepared by the contractors remain distinct.
Tender preparation
Quantities and service specifications are compiled into clear tender documents. Interfaces, quality requirements and maintenance services are described so that bids can be obtained on a comparable basis.
Assistance with contract award
We assess and compare bids technically, clarify differences and document the evaluation. You receive a transparent basis for the award decision and agreement of the service scope.
Construction supervision
We monitor technical delivery against the contract, coordinate testing and assist with acceptance. Costs, schedules, defects and documentation are tracked within the agreed scope.
Post-completion support and documentation
After handover, we assess identified defects within the agreed services and support subsequent property care. Additional operational support and maintenance are agreed separately.
Our planning services include the following components:
- Overall planning (general planning)
- HOAI work phases 1-9
- Performance and load tests
- Plan review
- Awarding support
- Safety and health coordination on construction sites
- Energy measurements
- Project and construction monitoring
- Quality assurance
- Cooling and energy supply
- Safety engineering and fire protection
- Data cabinets, cabling, and network technology
- Site acceptance and function tests
- Measurement, control and regulation technology
Planning for Every Aspect of Your Data Center
Strategy
Risk Analysis
Availability
Cooling
Power supply
Security
Strategy
Every project begins with the formulation of clear goals and requirements for a Data Center project. An essential component here is the actual Data Center strategy. Questions such as georedundancy, location, availability requirements or required IT space are developed and recorded in the form of a strategy. The strategy serves as a "guideline" for all further planning and implementation steps.
Risk Analysis
A risk analysis identifies and assesses the specific risks to a data centre. Physical risks such as flooding or earthquakes are considered alongside cyberattacks and vandalism. The risk analysis establishes the basis and scope for the availability assessment.
Availability
Availability can be described in different ways. Various data centre classifications provide frameworks for assessing availability. EN 50600 and the Uptime Institute Tier classifications set out requirements that inform the intended level of availability. Subsequent planning and configuration build on this assessment.
Cooling
IT systems release most of the electrical energy they consume as heat. The cooling concept must remove this load under the intended operating conditions and account for the infrastructure’s additional energy demand.
We compare cooling technologies against IT load, location, temperatures, water demand, maintenance and expandability. Our patented cooling and heat-reuse solutions are assessed for the project. Specific efficiency and environmental claims require defined measurement boundaries, reliable data and project-specific evidence.
Power supply
The energy supply is an essential part of a Data Center planning. In addition to questions about availability in the event of maintenance or failure safety, aspects of network feedback, the electromagnetic compatibility concept or the use of renewable energies are considered and transferred to the planning. The design of emergency power generators, uninterrupted power supply systems, bypass circuits or transformers play a central role in the planning of the energy supply.
Security
The basis of the security concept is the risk analysis. On this basis, an individual security concept is drawn up for the Data Center. The contents of this concept are, for example, a protection zone model for burglar alarm and access control systems, video surveillance, the use of extinguishing systems or fire alarm systems. The concept is coordinated in close cooperation with the operating staff of the Data Center and their users such as IT administrators. Security concepts must take into account the security aspects without affecting the operational processes too massively. Mastering this balancing act is a hallmark of a good security concept.
Data centre planning tailored to your project
From a compact IT site to a data centre building
The appropriate project scale follows the requirements. Compact, protected infrastructure may be sufficient for local AI or a single business location. Municipal organisations and businesses often need several expansion phases. Colocation projects have additional requirements for separate customer areas, site infrastructure and operating arrangements.
Our published examples show this range: a modular data centre for a federal authority with 320 kW connection capacity, municipal infrastructure with 510 kW and a colocation project with 20 MW. These figures relate to individual reference projects, not general design values. Connection capacity, actual IT load and future utilisation must be considered separately. View project examples.
How we start your planning
Existing plans, rack lists, load measurements, power-supply information and growth and availability requirements help prepare the first discussion. Together, we clarify which information is reliable and which measurements or investigations are missing. This leads to work packages, responsibilities and an agreed sequence.
If the site or construction method is not yet determined, a feasibility study first establishes the basis for a decision. The selected solution is developed further only after the options have been assessed. An agreed design baseline supports approvals and makes the cost and schedule effects of subsequent changes visible.
Experience from projects and standardisation
Harry Knopf contributes to standardisation under DIN EN 50600 within DKE/GK 719 “Data centres”. Our team holds the Uptime Institute Accredited Tier Designer (ATD) qualification. This specialist experience supports design; the Uptime Institute itself decides on a project’s Tier certification. More about our expertise.
“The constructive, results-focused collaboration during and after project delivery convinced us and established a basis of trust”
From an existing published client testimonial about municipal IT infrastructure. Client testimonials on our homepage.
Technical basis for the phases shown: HOAI, Annex 15 – Technical building equipment. We clarify the appropriate scope for your project through your Project enquiry.
Key Performance Indicators
Metrics help verify design objectives during operation. Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) compares a data centre’s total energy consumption with the energy used by its IT equipment. It describes infrastructure efficiency, not computing performance or the value delivered by IT. Measurement boundaries, periods, utilisation and operating conditions must be comparable.
We define measurement points, data sources and target values for the project. Water demand, heat reuse and emissions accounting require their own metrics. A single PUE value therefore does not demonstrate comprehensive sustainability. The Data Centre KPI Lab shows the calculations and their limitations.
- Sustainability (REF/ERE)
- Inherent and operational availability (Ai / A0)
- Resilience Level (RL)
- Redundancy in a system
- Reliability (R(t))
- Single and Double Point of Failure (SPoF / DPoF)
- Mean Down Time (MDT)
- Mean operating Time Between Failures (MTBF)
- Mean Time Between Maintenance (MTBM)
- Mean Time to Restoration (MTR)
- Water consumption (WUE)
- CO2 emissions (CUE)
- Annual performance factor (JAZ)
- Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE/pPUE)
- Key Performance Indicators for Data Center Efficiency (KPI4DCE)
- Data Center Maturity Model (DCMM) and many more
From calculation to the next design step
Compare KPIs and costs
Assess PUE, water, heat reuse and availability. Use the cost comparison to review investment and operating costs over the same period, with your own assumptions.
Compare energy requirements
Compare two PUE scenarios at the same average IT load. Use the results when coordinating power supply and cooling.
Assess existing facilities first
For expansion or refurbishment, a DC Check establishes the baseline. We assess asset condition, risks and required action before planning individual measures.
Your route to the right service
All topics at a glance.
Data Centres
- Data centre designData centre planning for new builds, expansion and existing facilities. Coordinated design of power, cooling, security and availability.
- HPCPlan infrastructure for high-performance computing and local AI. Coordinate computing load, electrical supply and cooling with High Knowledge.
- EN 50600Plan data centre infrastructure around EN 50600 requirements. Define assessment scope and prepare technical documentation with High Knowledge.
- Blue AngelAssess Blue Angel criteria, review existing infrastructure and prepare evidence as part of your data centre design process with High Knowledge.
Buildings & Building Services
- Building Services DesignDesign building services for offices, server rooms and data centres. Coordinate power, cooling, automation and safety through BIM.
- Building Information ModelingCoordinate specialist models, interfaces, project data and teams through Building Information Modelling for data centres with High Knowledge.
IT Infrastructure
- IT infrastructure planningPlan networks, servers, storage and IT security around your requirements. High Knowledge connects enterprise IT, data centres and sovereign AI.
- DCMDCM as an integrated operating system for data centres: plan monitoring, capacity, processes and interfaces together. Consultancy from High Knowledge.
- IT Security PlanningIT security planning for businesses and data centres: security architecture, network segmentation, access control and operations, linked to testing and ISMS.
Planning Process & Economics
- HOAIUnderstand the agreed design phases, deliverables and interfaces in a data centre project, and the role of Germany's HOAI framework.
- SiGeKoIntegrate safety and health coordination into data centre planning and construction. High Knowledge supports a structured project approach.
- Data Centre TCOCompare data centre costs over the asset life: investment, energy, operation and replacement. Transparent TCO calculator and project-specific advice.
- Feasibility StudiesAssess site, IT load, grid connection, cooling, availability and design options. A High Knowledge feasibility study supports informed data centre decisions.