Data Centre Containment Installation
Containment separates the cold air feeding your equipment from the hot air it exhausts, so cooling systems work on the air that actually needs cooling rather than the whole room. ACCL designs and installs hot aisle and cold aisle containment as part of data centre and comms room projects across London, Kent and Surrey, whether you are fitting out a new space or retrofitting containment into an existing room.
This service forms part of ACCL’s wider data centre solutions capability, and is often delivered alongside comms room installation and server cabinet installation.
Hot aisle vs cold aisle containment
Cold aisle containment encloses the aisle where cool air is supplied to equipment intakes, typically using doors and roof panels, keeping the rest of the room at ambient temperature.
Hot aisle containment encloses the aisle where equipment exhausts hot air, channelling it directly back to cooling units rather than letting it mix with the room.
Which approach suits a given room depends on the existing layout, rack arrangement, cooling infrastructure and how the space is used day to day — this is assessed at survey stage rather than assumed in advance.
Why containment matters
- Separating supply and return airflow reduces hot spots and uneven cooling across a room.
- Cooling systems work more efficiently when they are conditioning contained air rather than an entire room, which can meaningfully reduce cooling energy use.
- More consistent inlet temperatures reduce thermal stress on equipment.
- Well-designed containment supports higher-density racks without the room-wide cooling upgrade that would otherwise be needed.
What’s included in an ACCL containment installation
- Site survey and thermal assessment of the existing or planned rack layout.
- Design recommendation — hot aisle or cold aisle containment, sized to your racks and room.
- Supply and installation of containment panels, doors and roof systems.
- Integration with existing racks, cable trays and containment where retrofitting into a live room.
- Cable and power pass-throughs designed to maintain the seal of the containment system.
- Testing and sign-off, and as-built documentation at handover.
Our process: survey, design, install, verify, handover
1) Survey and thermal assessment. We assess your current rack layout, airflow and cooling setup before recommending an approach.
2) Design. We specify a hot or cold aisle containment system sized to your racks, with cable and power pass-throughs planned in from the start.
3) Installation. Containment is installed with minimal disruption to live equipment, sequenced around any required outage windows.
4) Verification and handover. We confirm the containment seal and airflow, then hand over documentation for future reference.
Why choose ACCL for containment installation
- Survey-led recommendation — hot or cold aisle chosen for your room, not applied as a default.
- Delivered alongside racks, structured cabling and comms room work as one coordinated project where needed.
- Retrofit experience — installing containment into rooms that are already live, not just new builds.
- Documented handover so future changes to the room account for the containment system already in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I know whether I need hot aisle or cold aisle containment?
It depends on your existing room layout, cooling infrastructure and rack arrangement. We assess this at survey stage rather than assuming one approach suits every site.
Q. Can containment be retrofitted into a room that is already live?
Yes. We plan installation around live equipment and any required outage windows to minimise disruption.
Q. Will containment work with our existing racks?
In most cases, yes — containment is designed to integrate with your existing rack layout rather than requiring a full room rebuild.
Q. Can this be combined with a new comms room installation?
Yes — see our comms room installation page. Containment is often specified as part of a new room from the outset.
Q. Do you cover Kent and Surrey as well as London?
Yes. London is a core service area and ACCL supports organisations across Kent, Surrey and nearby areas.
Talk to ACCL about containment for your data centre or comms room
Get a survey-led recommendation on hot or cold aisle containment before committing to a design.