SoSo CAD
Technical guideFree to read2023

Driving sustainability in data centers

Jacobs

This Jacobs white paper surveys measures to reduce data centre energy, water and embodied carbon. It offers a broad framework from cooling strategies and water reuse to low-carbon concrete and alternative backup power.

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Overview

The white paper is dated 2023 and compiles measures to reduce energy, water and embodied carbon in data centres. On cooling it covers immersion, adiabatic, free air, economisers and natural draft tested with CFD.

According to the water section, a typical 1 MW data centre with traditional cooling uses about 6.75 million gallons of water per year. Water-saving options include recycling cooling tower blowdown, using treated municipal effluent and seawater cooling. The adiabatic approach uses outdoor air below about 29.4 C (85 F), and free-air controls switch off evaporative systems when conditions allow.

On embodied carbon, supplementary cementitious materials and recycled content could cut concrete-related carbon by more than 50% in modelled scenarios. For backup power, it evaluates green hydrogen fuel cells or hydrogen reciprocating engines, plus battery energy storage (BESS) for renewable firming. One concept co-locates a data centre with a wastewater plant and a hydrogen electrolyser.

The paper closes with lessons on site selection, supply chain leverage, circularity and community engagement. As a consultancy white paper it offers no detailed calculation method; figures should be used as principle-level benchmarks.

Key points

  1. A typical 1 MW data centre with traditional cooling uses about 6.75 million gallons of water per year.
  2. Water-saving options: recycling cooling tower blowdown, treated municipal effluent and seawater cooling.
  3. Supplementary cementitious materials and recycled content could cut concrete-related carbon by more than 50% in modelled scenarios.
  4. Adiabatic approach uses outdoor air below about 29.4 C (85 F); free-air controls switch off evaporative systems when conditions allow.
  5. Backup alternatives: green hydrogen fuel cells or hydrogen reciprocating engines, plus BESS for renewable firming.
  6. A concept co-locates a data centre with a wastewater plant and a hydrogen electrolyser.
  7. Lessons: site selection, supply chain leverage, circularity and community engagement.

Using it in design

  • Use the 6.75 Mgal/MW-yr figure as a sanity-check benchmark for evaporative designs.
  • Include low-carbon concrete options in the embodied-carbon estimate.
  • Add hydrogen fuel cells as a backup power type in the catalog.
  • Treat water options (blowdown recycling, treated effluent, seawater) separately in site assessment.

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Who should read it

Data center designers with sustainability targets, developers, and corporate sustainability officers.

Related standards

  • LEED v4.1 BD+C: Data Centers

Publication details

Authors
Jacobs
Publisher
Jacobs
Year
2023
Document language
English
Source type
Expert / community
Access
Free to read
Licence
Copyright retained; citation only — the publisher’s terms apply to the original document

Citation

Jacobs (2023). Driving sustainability in data centers. Jacobs. https://jacobs.com/reports/advanced-manufacturing/driving-sustainability-data-centers

SustainabilityWaterEnergySite planning

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