Existing data centers are wrestling with the need to find more power and cooling to support AI workloads. But they may soon face another major challenge: the nationwide rollout of building performance standards (BPS). To date, more than a dozen local and state authorities have enacted BPS laws. This includes the states of Colorado, Maryland, Oregon, and Washington, as well as cities such as Washington DC, Boston, and New York City. Many more cities, counties, and states are expected to follow suit over the next few years.

These laws are designed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by setting strict energy and emissions performance targets for commercial buildings. Typically, they require benchmarking, reporting, and adherence to increasingly stringent performance targets over time, with prescribed deadlines for compliance.

For example, Oregon’s BPS requires data centers equal to or greater than 200,000 square feet to submit a full year’s worth of data by June 1, 2028 to demonstrate compliance. That effectively means the facility must have implemented improvements before June 1, 2027. Smaller facilities between 90,000 and 200,000 square feet have until 2029, while those between 35,000 and 90,000 square feet must comply by 2030. Washington’s deadlines are roughly two years earlier, with large data centers facing a compliance date of June 1, 2026.

Improving Energy Usage and Lowering Emissions

There are many ways to address BPS requirements. In most cases, an energy audit is the first step to identify inefficiencies and outline a compliance plan. Upgrading aging CRAC/CRAH systems, switching from diesel to gas generators, improving insulation and window performance, and installing more efficient lighting can all contribute to a better BPS rating.

On the IT side, server refreshes, liquid cooling implementations, or new DCIM software may help. Renewable generation and energy recovery systems are also options. But one of the most cost-effective approaches often starts with optimizing existing systems.

“Conservation is typically the lowest cost way to make a difference in your energy profile via improved maintenance of equipment, optimizing the scheduling of building and equipment operations (temperature set points, control sequence optimization, sensor calibration), and water use reduction,” said Rob Schnare, Vice President of Engineering at JH Kelly of Longview, WA, a mechanical contractor with in-house expertise in mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and other trades. “If those actions don’t bring you into compliance, further improvements include installation of solar photovoltaic systems, LED lighting, building envelope improvements, window replacements, and energy recovery systems.” 

Airflow Management: The Lowest Hanging Fruit

In many data centers, the simplest and fastest path to improving energy performance lies in tightening up airflow management. Decades of Upsite field data show that most facilities have basic airflow issues that can be corrected at low cost, delivering significant efficiency gains. Common issues include:

• Bypass airflow through unsealed cable openings, gaps in the raised floor, or misplaced perforated tiles, which wastes conditioned air and reduces cooling effectiveness
• Hot air recirculation into cold aisles due to missing blanking panels or unmanaged exhaust paths
• Misplaced or missing floor tiles in raised floor environments, causing uneven airflow distribution and reduced cooling performance
• Open U spaces and unsealed cable openings within racks that allow hot and cold air to mix
• Improper CRAC/CRAH unit set points or airflow volumes that result in overcooling some areas

Addressing these issues typically involves low-cost measures such as installing brush grommets to seal cable openings, adding blanking panels to racks, replacing or repositioning floor tiles, and sealing gaps between tiles. These steps reduce bypass airflow, improve return air temperatures, and allow cooling systems to operate more efficiently, often enabling higher supply air temperatures and reduced fan speeds.

Containment represents the next level of airflow optimization. Aisle containment systems separate hot and cold airstreams to further improve cooling efficiency. While containment involves a higher initial investment than basic sealing measures, it is typically far less expensive than the energy penalties and operational inefficiencies that result from unmanaged airflow. And as BPS regulations expand, containment can play a key role in achieving compliance targets cost-effectively.