Volume 1, Issue 03

LocationAs many across the globe celebrated Earth Day this April, Scott Data reflected on the history of our operations and how our early infrastructure investments continue to help us address building efficiencies and sustainability on our Campus.  Throughout both our original build (2006) and the redesign and expansion (2012), Scott Data identified and leaned into innovative methods that would benefit our customers while also creating sustainable benefits that will continue into the future.

Scott Data Center’s design, build, and business philosophy enhance our environmental sustainability profile and enable us to deliver energy and cost efficiencies to our customersSeveral of our choices aligned with our Tier III certification requirements, while others were conscientious decisions that aligned with our “impact investment” philosophy.

Unlike most other data centers, all Scott Data generators, switchgear, uninterruptable power supply, batteries, and chillers are protected from the elements in our purpose-built facility.   This intentionally protective set-up reduces wear and tear on our critical equipment and positions our team to conduct maintenance and upkeep at any time, regardless of weather or external conditions. This decision ensures that all the critical infrastructure necessary to keep our customer’s business running is not only protected from “man-made” and natural disasters but also that we can maximize our critical equipment lifecycles. This mitigates the risk of unexpected weather or human events and allows us to better deliver the reliability and redundancy of systems our customers expect.

Additionally, unlike hyperscale or corporate data centers, Scott Data does not standardize the customer colocation equipment (servers, storage, telecommunications), which results in diverse composition of equipment. The diversity of our environment means that Scott Data is continually challenged to drive efficiencies while also delivering the highest reliability for our customers. The net effect is cost savings realized in energy efficiency and longevity of the critical infrastructure. 

Scott Data also employs hot aisle containment (HAC), allowing us to moderate the temperature, protect equipment and maximize the efficiencies of our building design while facilitating a consistent, operational environment for both the Scott Data operations team and customer technical teams.  The areas above the acoustical ceiling and below the raised floor are utilized as air plenums to maximize airflow and keep hot and cold air separate.   

 Taking further advantage of our HAC practices, in 2012, Scott Data engineering partners developed a novel approach to recycle the server heat produced on the compute raised floor.  This heat recovery system provides heating for our 30,000-square-foot central plant during the winter months while also providing heat for the facility generators for rapid start time.  This sustainable and environmentally conscious heat delivery method provides another point of energy and cost savings that benefit our customers.   

The collaborative approach to design and uptime focus set the conditions for sustainability to be included in our operational protocols. Our annual average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) is 1.45, demonstrably under the 1.55 national average as reported in the Uptime Institute Global Data Center Survey 2022. The Scott Data Center’s efficiency efforts results in an effective PUE driving lower operating expenses for our customers.

Learn more about Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and why it matters

During a time when sustainability, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), and renewable energy sources are ongoing topics, Scott Data is proud of our validated design, investments, and operating history as demonstrations of our approach to sustainability methods while continuing to explore how we can continue to address these topics in support of our clients and our planet 

If you are interested in learning more about our structure, our business, or how we can help you address your data needs, please reach out directly to set up a conversation. In the meantime, please take a few minutes and join a video tour of our data center to learn more about our facilities:  Scott Data Center – A Leader in the Data Center Industry.

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Walter Scott Jr., Founder, Scott Data Center