Siemens Saves US-Based Novva Data Centers More Than 2 Million Kilowatt Hours Per Year
July 23, 2024
Novva Data Centers, a provider of enterprise data centers, has employed Siemens technology to achieve zero downtime and successfully migrate from water to air cooling at its Colorado Springs facility.
For the rapidly growing industry, this move represents a significant step toward sustainable operations for both Novva, and the burgeoning data center industry at large.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and increased digitalization efforts have led to the rapid demand and growth of data centers in the U.S. While this is providing new economic opportunities for communities across the nation and bolstering the construction industry, it is also creating unprecedented challenges for the power grid while jeopardizing corporate climate goals. It is crucial for data centers to implement strategies to reduce energy consumption as the demand on utilities to produce more power continues to grow.
Novva has worked to get ahead of these challenges by upgrading its Colorado Springs control system to Siemens Desigo PXC controllers. The new controllers, rewiring of the control system and reprogramming sequences helped the company successfully transition from water to air cooling, reducing water and energy usage while cutting costs. The upgrade also resulted in 24/7 uptime reliability and eliminated the need for weekly service.
“Siemens has always been at the forefront of the world’s megatrends, and the growth of data centers is no different,” says Mario Kahlert, head of building products, Siemens Smart Infrastructure USA. “Siemens provides end-to-end technology solutions for reliable and sustainable data centers. From the foundational energy infrastructure that provides reliable power for the facility itself, inside to the heart of the building where we deploy AI sensors to ensure the racks are being cooled efficiently – you will find Siemens in all facets.”
Redundancy, or duplication of critical components, is paramount for data centers in mitigating downtime. Siemens Desigo PXC controllers, organized in a flat architecture by Holbrook Service, enhance redundancy and allow the Colorado Springs facility to run four chillers, two chiller plants, cooling towers, pumps and fans simultaneously. If one chiller experiences a fault, the remaining three adjust instantly, maintaining optimal temperatures and preventing overheating.
As a result of integrating Siemens’ technology, Novva is saving more than two million kilowatt hours of energy per year – which is the equivalent to 1,397 metric tons of CO2 or enough energy to power 197 homes annually. Additionally, Novva is saving more than $176,000 a year by eliminating inefficiencies.
“Siemens and Holbrook Service are innovative and solution-oriented partners that bring problem-solving skills to work every day,” says Steven Boyce, VP of Mission Critical at Novva Data Centers. “Implementing Siemens’ technology in Colorado Springs has allowed my team to feel confident about the equipment they’re working with while boosting our sustainability efforts.”
