In April of 2011, the University of Utah broke ground on a renovation to consolidate multiple production centers into a central multi-tier data center in support of their diverse program mix, which includes the university’s Center for High-Performance Computing (CHPC). Like many institutions, these production centers had expanded over the years but had limited room for growth and did not always have the critical infrastructure needed to ensure reliable operation. These limited spaces also forced mechanical systems to work harder, and, in the process, use more energy.

The renovation, originally the Swire Coca-Cola bottling plant, was built in 1938. The facility’s solid construction helps protect it against earthquakes, and the large site area supports the mechanical and electrical infrastructure needed to serve the data center. Located in downtown Salt Lake City, the site has good proximity to the campus and site utilities. The design goals for the data center included: