Futureproofing, fallback options, and drawing out any client custom requirements early can point you toward success in these high-traffic, high-stakes facilities.

Data centers continue to evolve and become more efficient. With this in mind, the need for efficient HVAC is becoming essential to ensure cost-effective, reliable operation given servers generate significant amounts of heat.

Involta Northpointe, a recently-opened, 40,000-sq-ft data center in Freeport, PA, is already recording a 1.3 power usage effectiveness (PUE).

After 20 years in data centers, you might think I hang out on the bleeding edge with liquid-cooled chips, servers immersed in mineral oil, and computers singing “Daisy Bell” in three-part harmony.

Modern data centers are evaluated not just on reliability but also on the efficiency of the cooling plant that supports them, so the cost to cool data center space is a key issue that must be addressed during design and system selection.

This month’s Facility File will focus on the B2B November test for HVAC applications to replace an existing cooling tower at a pharmaceutical facility.

Engineers are well informed about the need for appropriate HVAC systems in rooms that contain IT servers for mission critical facilities.

A colleague of mine was the project manager on a commissioning project for a build-out at a five-story, 150,000-sq-ft laboratory building at a large university.

Data centers are expected to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and availability is measured in the highest of percentages.

Critical facilities have many of the same HVAC demands as other buildings, except the consequences of unexpected problems can be catastrophic and expensive.