Energy Efficiency for Existing Data Centers

Achieving high energy efficiency in data centers is no small feat—it’s a complex dance for both designers and operations staff. Each component, from cooling systems to power distribution, must be carefully tuned and balanced. Their interactions create a delicate ecosystem where a single inefficiency can cascade into wasted energy and increased operational costs. And with data demands growing exponentially, planning for scalability and flexibility is critical.

Why It Matters:
Data centers currently account for an estimated 1–2% of global CO₂ emissions and continue to grow dramatically in size. Simultaneously, constant energy consumption and fluctuations in energy availability are unfolding in a global context marked by supply chain disruptions, energy shortages, and inflation. The need for efficiency has never been more urgent.

The Challenge of Existing Facilities:
Efficiency is even more critical for existing facilities, many of which rely on older design paradigms and legacy infrastructure. These facilities must evolve to meet today’s more demanding IT loads and energy-efficiency expectations—without costly overhauls.

Where to Start: Airflow is often overlooked
One of the most underleveraged strategies in energy performance? Optimizing air distribution.  Destratification technologies, improved containment, and airflow redesigns can deliver meaningful gains—often without replacing core systems.

Small changes in airflow strategy can reduce over cooling, balance temperatures, and extend equipment lifespan.

Bridging the Gap Between Design and Operations:
Efficiency isn’t a one-time project – it’s a continuous process.  The key is bridging the intent of design with the realities of today’s operations.  That means aligning energy strategy with IT growth, cooling demands and facility behavior.  

Key Actions:

·      Deploy destratification fans - Use low-wattage, high-efficiency destratification fans to mix stratified air layers and eliminate hot and cold spots. This reduces the need for overcooling and balances temperatures across the server room floor.

·      Utilize Hot/Cold Aisle Containment - Implement cold aisle or hot aisle containment systems to isolate airflow streams, reduce mixing, and enable targeted cooling.

·      Seal Airflow Leaks - Block cable cutouts, raised floor gaps, and bypass openings that allow conditioned air to escape, reducing cooling efficiency.

·      Raise Set Points Strategically - Once airflow is optimized, data centers can safely raise CRAC/CRAH unit set points, reducing compressor energy use without compromising uptime.

·      Monitor Return Air Temperature - Use sensors to continuously measure return air temperature and ensure equipment is being cooled efficiently, not excessively.

Efficiency is even more critical for existing facilities, many of which rely on older design paradigms and legacy infrastructure. These facilities must evolve to meet today’s more demanding IT loads and energy-efficiency expectations—without costly overhauls.