A data centre designed by CH2M HILL/IDC Architects for Grainger in Lake Forest, Illinois has been certified as the world?s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED-?) facility of its type. IDC Architects is part of CH2M HILL (www.ch2mhill.com), a global full-service consulting, design, construction, and operations firm.
The data centre?s advanced cooling system uses outside air to cool the facility, and is designed to consume up to 50 per cent less energy for cooling than conventional data centres.
This Grainger data centre?s air cooling design is anticipated to have a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) rating of 1.2 at full capacity compared to the industry average of 2.0. Another significant aspect was its application of the latest ?Version 4? LEED BD+C certification criteria. Throughout the project, CH2M HILL worked closely with Grainger and the US Green Building Council to refine the new Version 4 standards, which are intended to bring sustainable design to a broader range of buildings.