ASHRAE Seeking Input on Data-Center Revisions in Standard 90.1

Proposed changes to definitions of computer rooms and data centers in ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, are open for advisory public review through Feb. 3.

The changes, contained in Addendum cs, create a distinction between facilities covered by Standard 90.1 and those intended to be covered by ASHRAE Standard 90.4P, Energy Standard for Data Centers and Telecommunications Buildings, which was proposed by ASHRAE in late 2012 and is now under development.

The definition proposed for computer rooms more closely aligns with ASHRAE Standard 100, Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS). Additionally, the definition is consistent with the Uptime Institute’s Tier Standard: Topology and the Telecommunications Industry Association's ANSI/TIA-942 class rating for low-risk Tier I data centers. High-risk data centers include those designed as Tier II or greater per ANSI/TIA-942 and ones with mechanical-cooling-system redundancy.

Computer rooms would remain under the scope of Standard 90.1, while high-risk data centers would be under the scope of Standard 90.4P. 

To comment on the proposed changes, click here.