With the rise of high-density AI chips, traditional air cooling is often insufficient. Recent updates have integrated specific compliance pathways for direct-to-chip liquid cooling and immersion cooling systems.
New provisions provide credits or incentives for the use of on-site/off-site renewable energy and heat recovery systems. Continuous Maintenance:
: Formally addressing water use effectiveness alongside energy. ashrae 904 pdf upd
As data centers evolve to support AI, high-density computing, and cloud services, the energy standards governing them must keep pace. The , represents the latest major shift in how the industry designs, constructs, and operates data centers, replacing earlier versions to align with modern performance metrics.
The standard applies to data centers with a conditioned floor space that has a power density greater than 20 W/ft² and IT equipment loads greater than 10 kW. This includes a vast range of facilities, from small "Edge" rooms to massive "Hyperscale" cloud facilities. With the rise of high-density AI chips, traditional
Recent addenda place greater emphasis on accounting for renewable energy sources and their impact on the overall facility energy calculation. How to Access Official PDFs and Track Updates
: The 2025 edition expanded its purpose statement to include future considerations for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, environmental impact, and water consumption, moving beyond direct energy use. Segmented Compliance Refinement : The standard applies to data centers with a
Evaluating cooling efficiency.
Maximum MLC and ELC values were reduced to demand higher efficiency from mechanical and electrical systems. Renewable Energy Incentives: