Data Center Building Design Looks to Improve Sustainability
Data centers are an essential part of life in the modern world, but the industry as a whole also uses massive amounts of power. Results from a 2020 study found that data centers by themselves use around 1% of the global energy production, consuming around 205 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2018.
Sustainability is a growing challenge for the data center industry. So how are building designs looking to improve sustainability in data centers moving forward?
Analyze Power Consumption
One thing data centers understand is the importance of information, and that goes double for creating sustainable facilities. Facilities need to start by analyzing and detailing their power consumption. This needs to be more in-depth than what might be listed on the building’s utility bills.
Installing smart meters or power strips can allow teams to analyze the exact amount of electricity coming into the facility. It also provides a detailed breakdown of what parts of the facility are using the most power, which will, in turn, make it simpler to make any necessary changes to make the building more energy-efficient and sustainable in the long run.
Utilize Server-Management Features
Many servers and other modern electronic devices come equipped with their own power-saving features built right in. They’re often easy to overlook if they aren’t obvious, and IT teams may find that they step on their toes, cutting power just when it’s needed the most.
For companies looking for ways to cut their power usage, these built-in power management features may be exactly what they need. Take the time to customize these settings so they work with the facility rather than against it.
Create an Uninterruptable Power System
While power grids are designed to be as stable as possible, they aren’t infallible. A power failure can take an entire facility offline for an undetermined amount of time, and power surges caused by lightning strikes can damage expensive equipment.
It’s important to create an uninterruptable power system, or UPS, to keep the facility running no matter what Mother Nature throws at it. The best way to approach this challenge is with a combination of grid power and backup options that can start up in the event of a power failure. The backup options could be solar or other sustainable sources, generators, battery packs, or some combination of the three.
Explore Waste Heat Utilization
One of the biggest challenges when running a data center is keeping everything cool. Servers and computers generate massive amounts of heat, and all that heat has to go somewhere. One way to keep these servers cool and even generate more power is to explore the application of waste heat utilization.
Some countries are already using this technology, with Stockholm’s Data Parks hoping to power 10% of the city by 2035 with waste heat alone.
Use In-Rack/In-Row Cooling
It’s easy to hook up an HVAC system and expect it to do all the work from a couple of isolated vents in the ceiling or floor, but when it comes to the laws of thermodynamics, this is about as inefficient as it can get.
Instead of trying to cool the entire space, switch to in-row or in-rack cooling. This targeted cooling system reduces the amount of power it takes to moderate the temperature in the same space because the HVAC system isn’t having to work overtime to cool all the empty space in the room as well.
Hot air generated by the servers doesn’t have a chance to rise to the ceiling because it gets pulled through the nearby heat exchangers.
Utilize the Internet of Things
The Internet of Things, or IoT, is making an appearance in nearly every industry. In data centers, these tools can be incredibly valuable when it comes to sustainability.
Instead of running the HVAC system 24/7, IoT sensors in the server room can monitor temperature and ambient humidity and make adjustments automatically. If something goes too far out of the established norms and it can’t make the necessary adjustments, it can alert a human monitor to fix the problem.
Data Centers Pivot Toward a Sustainable Future
Sustainability is a buzzword that’s on everyone’s tongue these days, but it’s more than just a way to bring eyes to headlines. Power-hungry facilities like data centers are going to have to find a way to cut down on their power usage and make their buildings more eco-friendly in the long run.
