Management & Organizational Best Practices
Maximizing energy efficiency while maintaining - if not improving - data center performance and reliability is not just a matter of substituting better technologies and operational procedures. The broader institutional context of the design and decision-making processes must also be addressed, as follows:
- Institute an energy management program, integrated with other functions (risk management, cost control, quality assurance, employee recognition, training).
- Use life-cycle cost analysis as a decision-making tool, including energy price volatility and non-energy benefits (e.g. reliability, environmental impacts).
- Create design intent documents to help involve all key stakeholders, and keep the team on the same page, while clarifying and preserving the rationale for key design decisions.
- Adopt quantifiable goals based on Best Practices.
- Minimize construction and operating costs by introducing energy optimization at the earliest phases of design; avoid excessive/redundant "safety margins" and right-size to trim first costs.
- Include integrated monitoring, measuring and controls in the facility design.
- Benchmark existing facilities, track performance, and assess opportunities.
- Incorporate a comprehensive commissioning (quality assurance) process for construction and retrofit projects. [download report | links and other resources]
- Include periodic "re-commissioning" in the overall facility maintenance program.
- Evaluate the potential for on-site power generation, including combined power technologies.
- Ensure that all facility operations staff receive site-specific training on identification and proper operation of energy-efficiency features.