Turning down the heat from data centers
A new study by Arizona State University researchers in the Phoenix metro area reveals that waste heat from data centers can increase downwind air temperatures by up to 4 degrees Fahrenheit. This research, the first to directly measure real-time effects, highlights a significant heat pollution problem that city planners and industry developers should address. The researchers aim to collaborate with stakeholders to develop solutions and recommend potential regulatory fixes.
Researchers at Arizona State University (ASU) have published a study in the Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Buildings and Cities, revealing that data centers significantly contribute to heat pollution in downwind neighborhoods. Conducted in the Phoenix metro area, the study found that waste heat from data centers can increase air temperatures by as much as 4 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lead author David Sailor, director of ASU’s School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, stated that waste heat from a single data center can exceed that of 40,000 households. The study used mobile temperature sensors mounted on cars to measure temperatures upwind and downwind of four data centers in Mesa and Chandler, detecting heat impacts up to a third of a mile away. Temperatures averaged 1.3 to 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit warmer downwind and peaked at 4 degrees Fahrenheit above upwind temperatures.
The findings, by Sailor and co-authors Soroush Samareh Abolhassani and Eli Martin, underscore the need for attention from city planners and industry developers, especially as U.S. data center capacity is projected to more than double by 2030. Even a 1-2 degree increase in urban temperatures can significantly impact public health, particularly in regions prone to extreme heat, and drive higher energy consumption for air conditioning.
ASU researchers plan further data collection to develop atmospheric models for mitigating heat impacts, suggesting design modifications to facilities, cooling equipment, and urban planning solutions like greenbelts. They advocate for cities to potentially require such fixes in the siting and permitting of data centers. The research was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy.