Thermal, acoustic and MEP engineering
Data centres — Marseille and PACA
Marseille is today the 7th global digital hub. 22 submarine cables land on the coast; hyperscalers and colocation operators are deploying multi-billion-euro projects in Marseille, Bouc-Bel-Air, Sophia Antipolis and Mougins. Our engineers support clients and integrators on every technical aspect — thermal, neighbour acoustics, MEP, ICPE compliance.
Context
Marseille — France's data-centre capital
The Marseille basin concentrates a major share of French digital infrastructure. Historical colocation operators have been joined by hyperscalers and new international entrants. In Bouc-Bel-Air, Plan-de-Campagne, Sophia Antipolis and Mougins, new builds and extensions are multiplying — always with the same triptych of critical constraints: cool massively, without disturbing neighbours, while complying with ICPE and environmental regulations.
On a data centre, every kilowatt avoided on cooling is a kilowatt that will not be billed for 20 years. Every decibel mastered at the property limit avoids a challenge to the operating permit. Every hectare of footprint treated ecologically preserves real-estate value and ZAN (No Net Land Take) compliance. Our engineering office intervenes at each of these points.
Our practice
Three subsidiaries in cross-sell, one strategic contact
ARKEMEP
Technical engineering
- • Dynamic thermal simulation and data-centre-specific CFD
- • Industrial HVAC sizing (chillers, CRAH, in-row)
- • Neighbour-acoustic study and treatment of noisy equipment
- • Uptime Institute Tier III/IV compliance
- • Advanced BMS and energy supervision
- • MEP fluids (chilled water, backup, electrical distribution)
ARKENOR
Environmental consulting
- • ICPE file (sections 2910, 2925, declaration or registration depending on power)
- • Environmental impact study and hazard study
- • Waste-heat recovery to urban networks (Massileo, regional projects)
- • EN 15978 building LCA and carbon trajectory
- • HQE Bâtiment Durable v4 or BREEAM New Construction process
IRICE
Independent certification
- • Effinature biodiversity certification of the operation
- • Opposable ESG indicators for REIT funds and investors
- • Unique Effinature biodiversity certification in France for real estate
The role separation between ARKEMEP (designer), ARKENOR (consultant) and IRICE (third-party certifier) guarantees the absence of conflicts of interest — a strong requirement from major operators and investment funds that finance data-centre infrastructure. For opposable acoustic measurements, NORMAXIS coordinates with an ISO/IEC 17025 testing laboratory partner.
Deliverables
What you receive at each phase
Design phase (sketch → preliminary → tender)
- Thermal framing note with cooling scenarios (free-cooling, immersion, hybrid)
- Dynamic thermal simulation on a 2050 typical year (reinforced heat wave)
- Predictive acoustic study at property limit with 3D mapping
- Complete ICPE file (declaration or registration depending on applicable section)
- MEP and electrical specifications
- EN 15978 building LCA and carbon trajectory sheet
Construction phase (supervision → handover)
- Approval of contractor execution drawings
- Tracking of technical changes during works
- Contradictory measurements at property limit during construction (preventive mitigation)
Acceptance and operation
- Opposable acoustic measurements (delivered by ISO/IEC 17025 testing laboratory partner) — legal value in case of DREAL or neighbour dispute
- Air-tightness tests on technical rooms (QUALIBAT 8711)
- Effinature certification of the land footprint — usable as annual ESG indicator for the fund
- Post-handover consumption review vs thermal-simulation forecast
Why NORMAXIS
A technical partner aligned with operator stakes
Major data-centre operators require a solid technical chain: a reliable thermal designer, an environmental consultant who understands the ICPE file, and an independent third-party certifier for the ESG indicators required by their investors. NORMAXIS combines these three competences without any one controlling the others — exactly what boards now seek to structure with their technical partners.
For major energy and fluid integrators we work either in direct subcontracting or as the client's consulting team, depending on project governance. For data-centre infrastructure funds, we provide the opposable ESG deliverables analysts seek — in particular the Effinature certification of the operation on its biodiversity dimension, issued by IRICE.
Zones
Where we operate on data centres
Our head office is in Aix-en-Provence (Espace Wagner, Les Milles business park), 30 minutes from Marseille and at the heart of the regional digital basin. Our engineers operate on-site within 48 working hours across the whole PACA region:
- Marseille city — Joliette basin, submarine-cable landing, historical colocation sites
- Bouc-Bel-Air and Plan-de-Campagne — new colocation sites and extensions
- Sophia Antipolis and Mougins — digital campuses, hyperscalers, cloud operators
- Toulon and Nice — extensions and new entrants
- Beyond: Occitanie, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes on dedicated projects. Occasionally Paris.
FAQ
What clients and integrators ask us
Why NORMAXIS rather than a generalist engineering office?
The integration of ARKEMEP + ARKENOR + IRICE under one banner avoids blind spots between technical lots, ICPE file and ESG certification. One strategic contact, three specialised teams that talk to each other daily.
Which cooling technologies do you master?
Direct and indirect free-cooling, river-cooling, immersion liquid cooling, water-side economizer, adiabatic cooling. All our thermal simulations are calibrated to the Mediterranean climate zone H3 with reinforced heat-wave 2050 scenarios.
How do you manage neighbour acoustics?
3D mapping, predictive impact study (ministerial ICPE order + L.1336-5 neighbour-noise code), acoustic treatment of technical rooms, enclosures on generator sets. Acceptance measurements coordinated with an ISO/IEC 17025 testing laboratory (DREAL-opposable).
Do you cover waste-heat recovery?
Yes. Connection studies to urban heat networks (Massileo in particular), heat-exchanger sizing, EN 15978 LCA. It is also a strong lever on the Energy and Innovation credits of HQE BD and BREEAM certifications.
Related angles
Complement your process.
EXPERTISE
ARKEMEP — MEP engineering
Core technical expertise: HVAC, MEP fluids, electricity, BMS.
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OBLIGATION
French Tertiary Decree
Energy-reduction framework also applicable to data-centre office spaces > 1,000 m².
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PROFILE
Listed REIT
Investor profile: REITs and infrastructure funds backing digital infrastructure.
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A data-centre project in Marseille or PACA?
You are a client, an integrator, an infrastructure fund or a cloud operator. Our engineers come on site within 48 working hours to frame your technical, acoustic and environmental need.