In 2014, EXTECH played a key role in upgrading a 132,000-square-foot data center for a global technology company. The project expanded the facility to 155,000 square feet while targeting dramatic improvements in energy performance. To achieve this, the project’s architects, O’Brien/Atkins Associates, proposed replacing mechanical louvers with operable glazing. EXTECH brought that strategy to life with its TECHVENT 5300 system, engineered for ventilation, durability, and energy efficiency.
Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) is the industry standard for measuring how efficiently a data center uses energy. It compares the total energy consumed by the facility to the energy used specifically for computing. The closer the PUE is to 1.0, the more efficiently the data center is delivering power to its IT equipment, although reaching a perfect 1.0 is nearly impossible in practice. At the time, most data centers had PUEs close to 2.0. This facility was already ahead of the curve with a PUE of 1.4, a strong baseline the team aimed to improve even further.
The expanded facility achieved a PUE of 1.14, a measurable performance gain that surpassed expectations. This was made possible in part by the TECHVENT 5300 system, which enabled passive pre-cooling to reduce reliance on mechanical cooling systems and included integrated bird and insect screens.
The project exemplified the value of collaboration between architectural vision and engineered solutions. It also minimized reliance on complex mechanical ventilation systems, helping reduce overall capital costs.
The project remains a standout example of how façade systems can influence the energy profile of large-scale data centers.
