Addendum cs to ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010 is open for advisory public review now through Feb. 3.

The addendum proposes changes to definitions for computer rooms and data centers in Standard 90.1 to create a distinction between facilities covered by 90.1 and those which are intended to fall under the scope of ASHRAE Standard 90.4P, Energy Standard for Data Center and Telecommunications Buildings, proposed by ASHRAE in late 2012.

The definition proposed for computer rooms more closely aligns with ASHRAE Standard 100, Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings.

The definition also is consistent with Uptime Institutes’ “Tier Standard: Topology” and the Telecommunications Industry Association ANSI/TIA-942 class rating for low-risk Tier I data centers.

High-risk data centers, such as those designed as Tier II or greater per ANSI/TIA942, or ones with mechanical cooling system redundancy, are expected to be covered by the 90.4P Standard, currently in development.

Steve Skalko, chair of the Standard 90.1 committee, said with the development of Standard 90.4P, feedback is needed from the industry to clarify the scope and definitions of each standard. Energy conservation requirements for high-risk data centers, initially covered by Standard 90.1-2010, are expected to be detailed in the 90.4P Standard. Computer rooms, which can include low-risk data centers, would remain under the scope of Standard 90.1.

“The costs and approaches used in determining appropriate HVAC applications used to achieve energy efficiency are different,” he said.

Publication date: 1/21/2013