EXPERT OPINION
facilities are partially racked out at best – and some may never reach their full design capable load based on business drivers and end-client needs . Therefore , it becomes the responsibility of facility operations staff to manually intervene deviating from optimal operational characteristics to match day-one realities . Temperatures , pressure profiles , fan speeds , etc . are all manipulated – however , these need to be constantly monitored as the load profile of the facility increases . Often automated control systems can have obscure hard-to-find settings placed in manual settings to suit a point-in-time need . But these settings may never get reverted to automatic operation . To maintain original design standards , design components are crucial , as are the operational guidelines . Operators should be aware of how smaller adjustments can make a compound impact over the lifespan of the data centre .
Looking ahead : Building more sustainable data centres
It ’ s obvious that the infrastructure design of a data centre should be analysed to build a sustainable facility . Many facility designers will turn to the implementation of technologies that can help manage data loads more efficiently , such as AI . There are situations where controls can respond more rapidly and efficiently to support incremental spikes in energy use , where AI is more equipped to handle the changes than humans . Digital Twins are also becoming key to improve data centre efficiency by helping to centralise data from across different areas of concern into a shared environment . This creates efficiency gains in space and equipment utilisation that directly reduces energy consumption .
From an efficiency standpoint , geographical considerations should be considered when designing and building a sustainable data centre . Different locations offer specific benefits and there is not a one-size-fits-all design for data centres spread out across the world . For example , in Ireland , some facilities have harnessed the power of evaporative cooling as a more sustainable cooling method . Others have leveraged mechanical ventilation systems , made possible by the cooler and breezier environment that Ireland offers . The consistent lower temperatures help more efficiently and sustainably maintain environmental characteristics of the data centres and in return , produces a reduction in operational and energy costs . Various locations can require unique solutions and it is the responsibility of data centre designers to continue innovating more sustainable approaches .
Conclusion
The data centre industry has made significant progress towards building and maintaining more sustainable operational measures . To meet maximum sustainability goals and maintain those in the long term , these capabilities and parameters should be built into the design phase and maintained through day-to-day operations . Adhering to the original design standards to ensure that the facility operates in the way it was intended to , is crucial , and operators should be cognisant of adjustments and improvements they can make throughout the lifespan of the facility . As the data centre industry continues to experience rapid growth , adhering to sustainability best practices will be key to ensure the industry continues to support , not only the growing data usage demands , but environmental ones too . �
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DATA CENTRE DESIGNERS TO CONTINUE INNOVATING MORE SUSTAINABLE APPROACHES .
42 www . intelligentdatacentres . com