Optimising Data Centre Chiller HVAC Plant with OEM Supervisory Control
In data centres, where IT cooling systems account for a significant proportion of operational costs, efficient thermal management is critical. This paper explores the benefits of assigning complete control of the chiller plant and overall supervisory system directly to the HVAC equipment manufacturer, rather than using a third-party controls provider.
All while ensuring system stability, resilience, compliance with customer Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and alignment with key project requirements.
Our results show that as Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) controls involvement increases
Our results show that as Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) controls involvement increases – from equipment-only control to HVAC plant control to supervisory system control – there is an improvement in site-wide energy efficiency ratio and a reduction in total system power consumption. Annual energy savings range from 7% to 30%* of the cooling system’s total energy consumption when the OEM is responsible for chiller plant room control, and from 10% to 50%* when the OEM is responsible for supervisory control of the entire HVAC system.
Beyond energy performance, this strategy simplifies system coordination by consolidating responsibility under a single expert – the equipment manufacturer. With one party accountable for operation and optimisation, this reduces fragmentation, streamlines communication and accelerates issue resolution. For data centre operators, this means reduced complexity, fewer vendor conflicts and greater confidence in the reliability and efficiency of their cooling infrastructure, enabling them to focus resources on core operations.
