IBM's new $360M datacenter; reflective roof, collected rainwater

WRAL.com in the Research Triangle is reporting on IBM’s new $360M datacenter, one of 450 the company operates worldwide. The 100,000 square foot facility was built with energy efficiency in mind

IBM logoOn Thursday, IBM unveiled its massive collection of data processing computer servers that the company says uses half the energy of a typical complex. The site boasts a reflective roof for solar heat, collected rainwater for reuse and energy-efficient lighting systems operated on timers.

Among its first tenants – IBM’s own Web site and the IT operations of the United States Golf Association.

The site is oriented to hosting cycles for outside businesses, not to HPC, but the technologies should apply.

Comments

  1. Too bad the design power density per rack isn’t given.

    “The site is oriented to hosting cycles for outside businesses, not to HPC, but the technologies should apply.” Unless the design is for the traditional 5-8kw/rack, not HPC densities of 25+kw/rack.

  2. Richard – I was thinking that the specific technologies they talk about in the article (rainwater, reflective roof, light timers) would work in an 25KW/rack center just as well as an 8kW/rack center. But you are right, the power distribution and rack power design points would be nice to know.

  3. Half the energy of a typical complex? Supposing that a typical modern complex already saves as much as possible on lightning and cooling by using smart design, IBM must have achieved this great reduction by using energy from solar panels?

    I could be wrong, though.