Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and others issue data center framework.
The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, ASHRAE, and NEMA have released an energy performance framework for AI data centers. This framework provides guiding principles for energy-efficient design, construction, and operation, covering energy and water use. It aims to address the growing energy demands of data centers.
The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington, in collaboration with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), has released an energy performance framework for AI data centers. This framework offers guiding principles for constructing and operating energy-efficient AI data centers, encompassing planning, design, construction, operation, and retrofit stages.
The document details various aspects of energy sourcing, energy consumption, and water usage in data center design, construction, and operation. It provides recommendations for optimal solutions across different facility climate zones and load densities, clarifying that it does not establish mandatory requirements or override existing codes. The creators emphasize the substantial economic impact of data centers, citing a nearly doubled contribution to the U.S. gross domestic product from $355 billion to $727 billion between 2017 and 2023.