International. Emerson Network Power has announced new research results showing that half of all data center cooling systems in the United States and Canada will be upgraded before the end of 2016.
The survey of IT administrators, facilities, and data centers reveals that while 40% of data centers have been upgraded in the past five years, nearly 20% are in process and about 31% will be upgraded in the next twelve months.
The main keys behind these improvements include the need for greater equipment reliability, greater energy efficiency, and additional capacity. The movement towards the use of efficient and sustainable technologies is evident in the updating activities. About 39% of respondents said the improvements had to comply with state energy codes. About 32% cited Energy Star® and 23% LEED as requirements for upgrades.
In addition, the survey found that 62% of improvements are in data centers smaller than 10,000 square feet and that 18% are in data centers larger than 50,000 square feet.
Other points of the survey highlight the following:
43% of respondents are adding variable speed drives that allow cooling units to be operated according to changes in airflow requirements, rather than running at constant speeds.
41% are adding or replacing thermal controls to optimize the performance of variable speed technologies.
40% are adding economizers to provide "free cooling", when outside temperatures allow.
