Fairbanks Energy help reduce data centre cooling costs with Pressac’s temperature monitoring sensors

Fairbanks Energy Services use Pressac wireless temperature sensors for remote temperature monitoring of their IT equipment in data centres. By using accurate real-time temperature data to intelligently control computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units, along with airflow best practices, FES help their customers reduce the amount of cooling needed by 10-20% of the nominal amount required.

Background

Fairbanks Energy Services (FES) are a full-service design and build energy conservation firm. They have over 30 years’ of experience providing energy conservation services for commercial and industrial clients throughout the United States. They draw on their in-depth industry knowledge to identify the most appropriate retrofit solutions for each client, helping businesses maximise savings for the lowest cost.

The challenge

In most data centres, maximising uptime is prioritised over energy efficiency. In fact, many data centres are so concerned with making sure their systems receive adequate cooling in the event of an HVAC system failure that they use two to three times as much cooling as they need to. FES set out to solve this problem by remote temperature monitoring of IT equipment and applying intelligent controls to computer room air conditioning units. Their challenge was to find a retrofit solution that could be installed without disrupting the IT network and that didn’t add to their customers’ energy usage.

The solution

A search for manufacturers of low-energy, wireless temperature sensors led them to Pressac. Our temperature sensors use wireless technology so they can simply stick to the front of a cabinet with no need for cables. They’re also solar powered, making them incredibly low maintenance. In a trial, FES found that the low lighting used in data centres meant our solar-powered sensors weren’t a viable option. Based on this feedback, we designed and developed a low-energy battery-powered temperature sensor for low-light conditions.

The results

FES has since developed and installed hundreds of data centre optimisation projects. The ability to monitor and control temperature, combined with best practices such as containment and active air management, has reduced the amount of cooling to within 10% and 20% of the nominal amount required.