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Technical Forum 2011 – ANSI/ASHRAE 90.1 "Economization and You"
Historically data centers, considered process cooling, have been exempt from previous editions of the 90.1 Standard. However, with increasing data center energy consumption and focus on building efficiency, this exempt status has been removed as of the 2010 edition. Economizers are among the more significant implications from loss of exempt status. Depending upon geographic location and size, an economizer system may now be required for data center cooling solution. The standard recognizes two distinct methods of economization: air economizers and water economizers.
This work provides a high-level summary of compliance paths for Section 6 “Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning,” along with various economizer requirements as they relate specifically to the data centers. Items to be covered include: exemptions, air economizer performance, and water economizer performance. These mandates warrant careful consideration during planning, design, building, and commissioning of new data centers or significant expansion of existing data centers.
This work provides a high-level summary of compliance paths for Section 6 “Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning,” along with various economizer requirements as they relate specifically to the data centers. Items to be covered include: exemptions, air economizer performance, and water economizer performance. These mandates warrant careful consideration during planning, design, building, and commissioning of new data centers or significant expansion of existing data centers.