The UAE’s data centre market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.95% over the next five years, reaching a market value of AED 9.7 billion ($2.64 billion) by 2029, according to Blackridge. This growth in facilities is driving a significant increase in demand for specialist cleaning service providers who meet international standards and guidelines, says Hitches & Glitches.
Hitches & Glitches (H&G), a Dubai-based sustainable and technology-driven maintenance and cleaning service company that is part of the Farnek Group, has seen a sharp rise in demand for specialized cleaning services in line with the UAE’s growing data centre market.
Expanding Data Centres
The UAE government’s strategy to expand its digital economy has attracted multinational technology companies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google, Microsoft, and Alibaba to enhance their operations in the country. As a result, the UAE now houses 38 data centre facilities, primarily located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with companies like Equinix Inc., Khazna Data Centre, and Moro Hub leading the market.
“Data centre equipment is highly sensitive, and maintaining optimal performance is critical to their success,” said Zohaib Azhar, Director of Operations at Hitches & Glitches. “The equipment includes switches, routers, hubs, UPS batteries, and racks, all of which collect dust and debris. However, the cleaning process is complex and requires a sophisticated approach.”
Strict International Guidelines
Data centres must adhere to international standards, including the ISO 14644-1 Class 8 standard, to maintain controlled environments. These standards ensure that cleaning is carried out by a highly trained and certified team of technicians, as the reliability, efficiency, and safety of these high-value assets are essential.
ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) TC 9.9 standards also provide guidelines for mission-critical facilities like data centres, focusing on environmental control to protect equipment and ensure reliability. These guidelines emphasize the importance of maintaining clean air, minimizing gaseous contaminants and airborne particulates, and using anti-static cleaning products and HEPA filters.
ASHRAE guidelines also stress the importance of proper airflow design within data centres to reduce dust accumulation and manage contaminants. Cleaning procedures should be adapted to the air flow patterns to avoid recirculating dust during routine maintenance.
Ensuring Clean and Controlled Environments
“These guidelines are vital to ensuring a clean and controlled environment in data centres, which is necessary for optimal performance and equipment longevity,” said Azhar. “Compliance with ASHRAE standards is often required to maintain high operational reliability and efficiency.”
Azhar further emphasized the importance of cleaning teams being fully trained and holding specialist certifications to meet these rigorous standards. H&G’s expertise has made it a preferred partner for prominent data centre management companies, including SecureTech and ITQAN.
In addition to physical cleaning, ASHRAE standards also highlight the importance of maintaining proper temperature and humidity levels to prevent static discharge and corrosion, which can be exacerbated by dust and dirt buildup.
As the UAE data centre market expands, maintaining a clean, controlled environment through specialized cleaning services becomes increasingly crucial to ensuring long-term operational efficiency and reliability.
