In recent years the use of the word “Hybrid” has been on the rise, due to its commercial effect of adding the illusion of being energy-efficient and environmentally conscious.

Data centers typically are high-density enclosed spaces that produce and distribute a significant amount of heat in a small area. This heat needs to be removed or the temperature within the data center will rise, and if the temperature rises enough, the equipment can be seriously impacted. Long-term, the impacted equipment leads to complete failure.

Data centers have very specific HVAC needs that are different from most other industrial settings. When selecting HVAC equipment and designing a system specifically for a data center, the following three considerations must be top of mind:

Indirect + Direct evaporative cooling (IDEC) is a viable method to keep temperature and humidity within the ASHRAE comfort zone throughout most of the Rocky Mountain region. Air2O, the next generation of air conditioning systems, recommends designing for 100% outside air when applying an IDEC system in most applications.