What it is about
Part 2‑1 contains guidance for structures that house data centers: location and site selection, protection against environmental risks, site and building configuration, access, intrusion protection, physical fire protection, protection against water damage, and construction to the required quality.
It refers to the classification for physical security in EN 50600‑1 and provides the structural prerequisites for the security concept in accordance with Part 2‑5. The standard applies to new buildings as well as to existing premises and is aimed at architects, structural engineers, and building designers. Electrical safety and electromagnetic compatibility are left to other standards (EN 50600‑2‑1:2021, Clause 1, European foreword).
Core requirements in our own words
The location is assessed against four criteria.
Geographical location, natural environment and adjacencies, utility provision, and budgetary factors, plus an analysis of environmental risks from flooding to facilities handling hazardous substances. Unavoidable influences are to be mitigated by structural, technical, or organizational measures; Annex B provides the checklist. Clauses 5.1 to 5.3, Annex B.
A site survey is mandatory.
It covers surface and geotechnical aspects, from load-bearing capacity and groundwater to seismic risk, and supports the design of foundations, drainage, and earthing. Utility lines should be routed underground and, where redundant, over separate routes into the building. Clauses 6.2 and 6.4.1.
Every Protection Class boundary needs an identifiable barrier.
Doors, windows, and grilles at the boundary must correspond to a Resistance Class according to EN 1627; the standard specifies a minimum and a recommended class for each Protection Class. This applies inside the building as well as at boundaries outdoors. Clauses 7.6 and 8.4.2 to 8.4.5.
The building envelope and components withstand the expected events.
Exterior walls, roofs, and foundations must resist fire, vibration, flooding, gas, and dust over the service life. Floors are designed for static and dynamic loads, raised access floors with a declared load class; transport routes and elevators must accommodate the largest equipment. Clauses 8.5 to 8.14.
Spaces are planned modularly and by adjacency.
The computer room is located close to the power supply, the mechanical systems, and the telecommunications entrance; room size and row length are limited, and non-IT systems should avoid it. A loading dock for the largest deliveries is mandatory. Clauses 9.1.1, 9.3 and 9.10.
Fire compartments follow at least the Protection Class boundaries.
Walls between fire compartments must achieve the fire resistance rating of the highest adjacent Protection Class, retain extinguishing agents, and withstand firefighting water. The standard makes clear that national building regulations protect people and neighboring buildings but are usually not sufficient for electronics or against smoke and acid gases. Clauses 11.1 and 11.3, Annex A.
From our seminars: two misconceptions
“Protection Class 3 means Availability Class 3.”
The two classifications are independent: the Availability Class describes the redundancy and maintainability of the supply, the Protection Class describes who has access to an area under which conditions and how resistant its boundary is. A data center can combine high Protection Classes with a low Availability Class and vice versa (Clauses 7.6.1, 8.4; EN 50600‑2‑5).
“The computer room must have Protection Class 4.”
The class follows from the risk assessment in accordance with Part 2‑5, not from the standard. Anyone who designates Protection Class 4 must meet the higher requirements for Resistance Class and fire resistance rating at every door. From seminar practice: a computer room of Protection Class 3 with a fire suppression system conforms to the standard if the security concept supports this (Clauses 8.4.4, 8.4.5, 11.3).
Where Part 2‑1 applies in a project
Location selection and building design
The checklist from Annex B and the environmental analysis are documented, for existing buildings with a separate risk assessment; load-bearing capacities, raised access floor, and transport routes are coordinated with the structural engineer before the technical systems claim space (Clauses 6.3, 8.11).
Tendering
The specification states the Resistance Class for each Protection Class boundary, the fire resistance rating for each fire compartment, and the protection objectives against water, dust, and vibration for each space, instead of prescribing wall constructions.
Acceptance and conversion
The building construction is tested in accordance with Part 3‑1; extensions use the space reserves and fire compartments that were provided for in the design.
This protects you from a building whose floor slab cannot carry the second expansion stage. It saves you from retrofitting doors and walls when the audit finds that the Resistance Class is missing at the Protection Class boundary.
Status and revision
- Current edition
DIN EN 50600‑2‑1:2021‑09, German edition of EN 50600‑2‑1:2021; supersedes the 2014 edition after a complete revision.
- International
ISO/IEC 22237‑2:2024.
- Revision
According to our information as of September 2026, no revision is in progress. Committee CLC/TC 215, German mirror committee DKE/GK 719.
- Last reviewed
EN 50600‑2‑1
Frequently asked questions
Location selection, site, outdoor areas, building construction, spaces, access, intrusion and fire protection, and protection against water for structures that house data centers (Clause 1).
No. It requires an assessment of geographical location, environmental risks, utility provision, and costs; unavoidable risks are to be mitigated by structural, technical, or organizational measures (Clauses 5.1 to 5.3).
The Protection Class according to EN 50600‑2‑5 describes the area and access to it; the Resistance Class according to EN 1627 describes how long a component withstands an attempted break-in. Part 2‑1 assigns a Resistance Class to every Protection Class boundary (Clauses 7.6.1, 8.4).
According to the standard, usually not. Building regulations protect people and neighboring buildings; for electronics and against smoke and acid gases, Part 2‑1 requires additional fire compartments and materials (Clause 11.1).
Yes. The suitability of existing premises is determined by a risk assessment; existing surveys may only be used after they have been reviewed for changes (Clause 6.3).
Seminars
Related seminars
Training path 2/4
DC-21002Data Center Design & Implementation
according to EN 50600 and ISO/IEC 22237
5 days · In person · Live webinar
Environmental and risk analysis, Protection Classes, building construction, and fire compartments in the context of Part 2‑5 and Part 3‑1; this saves you from building decisions that can no longer be corrected later.
Next date: 23–27 Nov 2026, onlinePrice plus VAT: €6,990Training path 1/4
DC-21001Data Center – General Principles
3 days · In person · Live webinar · Video course
The introduction to location factors, Resistance Classes, zoning, and raised access floors.
Next date: 19–21 Oct 2026, onlinePrice plus VAT: €4,195
All prices plus VAT; the price is the same in every format.
- DIN EN 50600‑2‑1:2021‑09 (German edition of EN 50600‑2‑1:2021), European foreword, Clauses 1, 5.1 to 5.3, 6.2 to 6.4, 7.6, 8.4 to 8.14, 9.1, 9.3, 9.10, 11.1, 11.3, Annexes A and B
- ISO/IEC 22237‑2:2024
- DCE academy seminar practice: Data Center – General Principles (session April 2026), Data Center Passport (session January 2026), Data Center Design & Implementation (session November 2025)
Glossary terms
- Protection Class (1 to 4)
- Resistance Class (EN 1627)
- Fire compartment
- Fire resistance rating
- Site survey
- Environmental risk analysis
- Raised access floor
- Load-bearing capacity
- Loading dock (docking bay)
- Onion skin model
