80,000 Square-Ft Expansion is a Model for Energy-Efficient Data Centers: On October 14, 2008, officials of the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) and University of California, San Diego (UCSD) will usher in the next era of data-intensive computing by dedicating a new, energy-efficient building extension that will further position SDSC as a key resource for UCSD and beyond. With five levels and two wings creating a V-shaped floorplan, the new structure doubles the size of the existing supercomputer center to 160,000 square-feet, while increasing SDSC’s overall machine room space to 18,000 square feet. The structure adjoins the current center, which is located on the northwest end of the UC San Diego campus. As UCSD’s largest data center, the new building will be a living laboratory for efficiency initiatives to be used at other large data centers around the world. Designed by architects Esherick Homsey Dodge & Davis of San Francisco, the structure incorporates innovative engineering approaches as UC San Diego takes a leadership role in implementing energy-saving practices across the entire campus. UC San Diego was the first university to join The Green Grid, a global consortium of information technology companies dedicated to promoting energy-efficient data centers. SDSC is also a member of the Data Center Users Group and the Critical Facilities Round Table, among others. Even before the new building was completed, its design was awarded the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver Certified equivalent project launched on the UC San Diego campus, operating 53 percent more efficiently than California’s current standards. The design also earned a Best Practices Award from the California Public Utilities Commission. Key “green” highlights of the new SDSC building include:

• A natural hybrid displacement ventilation system instead of conventional heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), that leverages filtered outside air so the building thermodynamically “breathes.” This system is designed to provide adequate temperature and humidity levels for more than 95% of the year.
• An optimum building orientation, sun shades, low-E window glazing, exposed concrete interiors, balloon-framed walls, and a solar reflecting roof to dissipate heat.
• Building sensors to measure energy consumption and thermal effectiveness, providing references for future building designs.
• A first-of-its-kind use in the U.S. of a Liebert/Knurr rack system called CoolFlex that encloses traditional cold aisles in the data center, completely separating the cold air supplying equipment from the hot air exhausted from the gear. This separation provides efficient cooling, saving large amounts of fan energy and allowing for more moderate data center temperatures.
• Large, high-efficiency air handling units that blow into the subfloor from below in place of on-floor computer room air handling (CRAH) units. This maximizes available floor space, uses medium-temperature rather than chilled water, and integrates sensors to match cooling with real-time loads.
• Linking in to UCSD’s high-efficiency, natural gas cogeneration facility to provide data center power and steam to drive its chilled water plant.

These measures complement initiatives already in place at SDSC, including:

• Hot aisle / cold aisle configuration in the data center, allowing more equipment to operate within the same cooling “footprint.”
• Hot aisle containment being deployed to separate hot and cold air and further drive cooling efficiencies.
• CRAH-to-ceiling ductwork that allows ceiling tile reconfiguration in dense areas to efficiently extract heat and increase cooling capacity without increasing power consumption.
• High-efficiency uninterrupted power supplies that save over ½ million kilowatt-hours/year over previous units.
• Upgraded CRAH units with variable frequency drive motors and new software with building sensors, with projected savings of 1-2 million kilowatt hours annually.

In addition to the computer machine room and specialized research laboratories for SDSC and other UC San Diego departments, the new building has several fully wired “collaboration spaces” on each floor where colleagues can confer. Additional facilities include 10 conference rooms and enclosed meeting spaces, a large visualization lab, and a 200-seat auditorium that can be easily reconfigured into smaller spaces. The October 14 dedication ceremony will include remarks by UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Ann Fox, former UC Presidents and UC San Diego Chancellors Richard Atkinson and Robert Dynes, SDSC Director Francine Berman, and other distinguished guests. Some 25 research projects will be on display, including the latest supercomputer simulations and modeling for earthquake and climate change studies, as well as new drugs to combat diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. The ceremony starts at 10:45 a.m. in front of the East Entrance of the new building, followed by a reception and self-guided tours. Please visit its Web site for more information.