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This is a very interesting case. As an architect though I can't help putting in my 2 cents that cooling isn't simply a binary choice. Firstly, the best thing t
by twelvechairs 15y ago
This is a very interesting case. As an architect though I can't help putting in my 2 cents that cooling isn't simply a binary choice.
Firstly, the best thing to do environmentally would be to use the heat positively, connecting it into a centralised heat-distribution network for other users (for instance, other industries, public heated pools, or even residences).
Secondly, even without power, there is a lot you can do to maximise the heat-loss of a building: Eg. design to capture prevailing winds and utilise them to help heat escape, or internal arrangements to keep cooler 'microclimates' around areas used by maintenance staff and temperature-critical server elements. I am not sure what the design process of these buildings is, but I would bet that this sort of design doesn't get thought about.
Thirdly, you can also actively cool buildings without 'chillers' (refrigeration units), such as pumping earth-cooled water through the building (as 'chilled beams'). This is actually likely to be quite cost-effective for large projects like this, and much more environmentally friendly than burning coal.
- cd34 15y agoFacebook's Prineville datacenter is aligned to capture prevailing winds: http://www.facebook.com/prinevilleDataCenter http://www.facebook.com/prinevilleDataCenter Somewhere I had whitepapers from the Open Data Center Initiative which did touch on some of the issues you mentioned. http://www.opendatacenteralliance.org/ http://www.opendatacenteralliance.org/ is the alliance page, but, requires membership, has a few whitepapers and webcasts available.
- Drbble 15y agoWhy would you bet that professionals with huge budgets candidate cost-conscious customers wouldn't think about how to solve the problem they're paid to solve? If they don't, you could be a billionaire by selling your ideas.
- twelvechairs 15y agoI think the big clients (google, facebook, et. al) are getting smarter very quickly now (see for instance cd34's link above). It also requires not just one person, but a whole team of smart architects, engineers and environmental experts to figure this out for every individual server centre. Also - some of the big successes (heat sharing, using water from outside sources, etc.) also require government involvement, which can be a minefield in itself (note: google seems to have much better success with these government schemes in Europe than in the USA).