: The 2024 IECC requires Section 8 (Electrical) compliance, while 2021 IECC only required Section 6 (Mechanical). A project that begins under one edition may need to be recalculated if local adoption changes mid-design.
If you are building a new colocation facility or a hyperscale campus, design to 90.4. It is the law of the land in most US jurisdictions (via IECC 2021/2024).
Standard 90.4 acts as a "sister" or companion standard to 90.1. While 90.4 governs the technical "computer room" spaces, 90.1 still applies to the rest of the facility, including: Insulation and window performance. Lighting: Efficiency of lamps and control systems. Service Water Heating: Systems for domestic hot water use. Recent Evolution (90.4-2022) ashrae 90.4 pdf
ASHRAE standards are copyrighted, intellectual property. You cannot legally download a full copy for free from public websites, as the organization must recoup its development costs.
Modern data center designs are shifting focus beyond mere energy efficiency toward reducing total carbon footprints, integrating renewable energy sourcing directly into facility planning. : The 2024 IECC requires Section 8 (Electrical)
Operators have the flexibility to design mechanical systems using economizers (free cooling) or highly efficient chilled water plants, as long as the design complies with the established MLC thresholds. 2. The Electrical Loss Component (ELC)
Standard 90.4 has rapidly gained acceptance as the reference for data center efficiency. It is recommended by major research bodies like the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for data center temperature ranges. Several states, including Oregon (requiring compliance for power systems), Virginia, and Washington, have incorporated sections of the standard into their energy codes. Additionally, the 2024 IECC now references ASHRAE 90.4-2022 as a compliance path for data centers. Because of this widespread adoption, many municipalities now require MLC and ELC calculations to be submitted as part of the permit process for new data centers. It is the law of the land in
The heart of ASHRAE 90.4 is its two-part performance-based compliance path, which uses metrics that are more granular and design-focused than the widely known Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE):
In the digital age, data centers are the backbone of global commerce, communication, and cloud computing. However, they are also notorious for their immense energy consumption. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), data centers account for roughly 1% of global electricity demand. To combat this, engineers and facility managers rely on rigorous standards.
ASHRAE Standard 90.4-2019 provides a specialized energy-efficiency framework for data centers, focusing on the mechanical load component (MLC) for cooling and the electrical loss component (ELC) for power systems to meet specific PUE targets. The standard emphasizes a performance-based approach to design, aligning with thermal guidelines to ensure efficiency while maintaining equipment reliability. The official, copyrighted document for the standard can be acquired directly through the ASHRAE Bookstore.
