Reference library

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory / U.S. Department of Energy · 2017

Data Center Air Management Estimator, Version 1.0 (2017)

Offer a 'quick' airflow-management estimate mode with few inputs, consistent with the DOE AM Tool engine already in the library (engineering reference v3).

• Distributed as an Excel file (AM Estimator Version 1-0), posted 06/27/2017.

Upsite Technologies blog · 2019

Data Center Airflow Management at 100F

When high-temperature (A2/A3 allowable) set points are selected, report hot-hour and mechanical-cooling percentages from site weather.

• Air-side economization hours above 90 F: Denver 111 (A2) / 226 (A3); Phoenix 694 / 1,817.

Eaton · 2025

Data Center as a Good Grid Citizen

Add grid-code parameters to the utility connection object: UFLS stages, LVRT curve, post-fault power recovery ramp (%/s) and short-circuit ratio at the PCC.

• Typical BESS Li-ion cells are limited to about 1C discharge.

ASHRAE / IBPSA-USA · 2022

Data Center Chiller Plant: Simulation-based Comparative Control Design Case Study (2022 ASHRAE/IBPSA-USA Building Performance Analysis Conference and SimBuild)

Give cooling plant templates a control-sequence attribute (for example Guideline 36 condenser-water reset, economizer modes); it materially changes annual energy.

• Alternative (Guideline 36-based) controls cut cooling energy 25% annually and about 18% in a typical summer.

Consulting-Specifying Engineer · 2018

Data center co-location electrical system design

In business-model templates (enterprise, colo, cloud), set default redundancy and base-to-redundant ratios.

• N example: a 1,800 kW load with 1,000 kW UPS modules gives N = 2.

Cummins · 2025

Data Center Continuous (DCC) Ratings: A comparison of DCC ratings, ISO definitions and Uptime requirements

Give generator catalogue entries a rating table keyed by class {ESP, PRP, COP, DCP, DCC/manufacturer-unlimited} rather than a single kW value.

• QSK95-based sets offer ratings up to 3.5 MW (ISO 8528-1).

Uptime Institute Journal · 2014

Data Center Cooling: CRAC/CRAH redundancy, capacity, and selection metrics (Hussein Shehata)

When only perimeter CRAC/CRAH cooling is selected, warn above about 6 kW average per cabinet and require row, rack or liquid cooling for 20 kW and above.

• Passive hot-air-removal cabinets cannot remove more heat than the cold air supplied, debunking 20 kW+ per cabinet claims.

Cushman & Wakefield · 2026

Data Center Development Cost Guide 2026 (U.S.)

In the cost module, offer an all-in $/MW benchmark band with source and year and allow a market multiplier.

• Development costs up 21% per MW since the previous report.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Center of Expertise for Energy Efficiency in Data Centers · 2023

Data Center Electrical Power Chain Tool, v2.5 (July 2023)

Benchmark the electrical loss model against this tool's structure: transformer, UPS and PDU efficiency curves by load factor, plus eco-mode.

• The July 2023 update added transmission and distribution (T&D) losses.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory / U.S. DOE Federal Energy Management Program · 2026

Data Center Energy Practitioner (DCEP) Training Program

For US federal projects, add a compliance reminder for 4-yearly DCEP assessments.

• DOE Order 436.1A (2023) requires DOE elements to have data centres evaluated by DCEPs every four years.

Open Compute Project Foundation · 2025

Data Center Evolution: Powering the AI Revolution Sustainably (OCP EMEA Summit 2025 keynote, Madhusudan Iyengar)

Rack catalogue entries should carry a distribution-voltage attribute (48 VDC, +/-400 VDC, AC); flag 48 V in-rack designs above roughly 150 kW per rack as needing a sidecar or higher-voltage DC architecture.

• Related: OCP Open Rack V3, OCP Diablo 400 (Mt Diablo) power rack.

arXiv preprint (University College Dublin) · 2025

Data Center Model for Transient Stability Analysis of Power Systems

Expose UPS transfer thresholds (voltage %, frequency Hz), return-to-mains delay and staggering across UPS modules as design parameters, and warn when all modules share identical thresholds and delays, since synchronised reconnection can re-trip the grid.

• Cooling accounts for about 30% of total power of standalone data centers and is modelled as an induction motor.

Consulting-Specifying Engineer · 2013

Data center power strategies

Offer distribution-voltage options (208/120, 415/240, 380 Vdc) with automatic loss and fault-current comparison.

• 600 Vac reduces copper and fault current but yields no efficiency gain.

Aksa Power Generation · 2020

Data Center Power Systems

Keep both standby and DCC kVA per model in the generator catalog; where data is missing, use DCC ~0.9-0.94 x standby as a flagged estimate.

• Data-centre generator range up to 3,000 kVA standby.

Huawei Digital Power · 2022

Data Center PowerPOD 3.0 Technology White Paper

Add a 'prefabricated power train' block type (transformer, LV, UPS, feeders) carrying footprint, weight and a clearance envelope.

• Average rack power rose from 4 kW to 6-8 kW and is heading to 12-16 kW.

Schneider Electric · 2012

Data Center Projects: Advantages of Using a Reference Design

Store reference designs as structured objects with required attribute fields (IT kW range, redundancy N/N+1/2N for power and cooling, density kW/rack, annualized PUE, heat rejection type, estimated cost) plus linked one-lines, layouts and BOM lines (part number, qty, supplier).

• Graphics: electrical, mechanical and IT one-lines; layouts with dimensions and clearances of racks, PDUs, CRAC/CRAHs, UPSs, generators, switchboards, ATSs; 3D views.

Schneider Electric · 2015

Data Center Projects: Establishing a Floor Plan

Run the layout engine on a 600 mm / 2 ft grid with row-pair pitch presets A-D (14/16/16/18 ft), auto-selected from raised-floor, rear-door accessory, containment and density inputs.

• Rack-location estimate: room area / 28 sq ft (2.6 m2) per rack.

Schneider Electric · 2012

Data Center Projects: Growth Model

Capture the IT load profile at project setup as four fields (initial kW, minimum final kW, maximum final kW, ramp-up years, default lifetime 10 years), not one design load.

• kW = BTU/hr x .000293 and kW = tons x 3.52; each IT watt becomes a watt of heat, so the cooling profile equals the load profile.

Schneider Electric · 2011

Data Center Projects: Standardized Process

Model the project workspace as phases, steps and milestones (Prepare, Design, Acquire, Implement), tying each deliverable to an owner and to the downstream step that consumes it.

Schneider Electric · 2013

Data Center Projects: System Planning

Build an intake wizard that makes the six parameters (criticality/Tier, IT kW, growth ramp with uncertainty, target PUE, average and peak kW/rack, capex budget) required before layout tools unlock, with live trade-offs between them.

• Preferences are adjustable (overhead power cabling, wide racks); constraints are hard (slab height, floor load, columns, codes, TIA 942, work rules, elevator weight capacity).

Data Center Knowledge · 2024

Data Center Rack Density Has Doubled. And It's Still Not Enough

When a user places GPU servers in a rack, compute kW from server count and warn if the rack budget is exceeded (e.g. one DGX H100 = 10.2 kW).

• AFCOM average rack density: 6.1 kW in the first report, 12 kW in the 2024 report.