Johnson Controls releases second data center reference design guide to advance industrial‑scale AI factory cooling

Johnson Controls, a global leader in thermal management and energy efficiency, has announced the release of its second AI Factory Reference Design Guide, which specifically focuses on air-cooled chillers for data centers. This new guide builds upon a previous water-cooled chiller guide, forming part of a comprehensive series designed to address the increasing complexities and scale of AI data center infrastructure. The guide aims to assist designers and operators in overcoming significant challenges such as high power demands for cooling systems, rising cooling-loop temperatures, efficiency losses from heat islands, and limited water availability. It outlines strategies to achieve industry-leading energy and water efficiency, reduce noise impact on surrounding communities, and maintain adaptability across various climates and workloads. The new blueprint supports the scalable design of data centers, including "AI factories" up to 1-gigawatt capacity, by integrating high-efficiency YORK centrifugal chillers, fan coil walls, and coolant distribution units. Austin Domenici, president of Johnson Controls Global Data Center Solutions, emphasized the necessity of designing integrated systems that can predictably scale, perform efficiently, and adapt to evolving technology for the future of AI factories.