Why facilities management holds the key to data center efficiency

Caught between explosive AI-driven demand and a strained power grid, the data center industry faces a shared challenge to do more with less. This test of efficiency is universally measured by power usage effectiveness (PUE).

Achieving a lower PUE now depends just as much on the building’s infrastructure as it does on the IT hardware.

This is where a facilities management (FM) team’s expertise becomes indispensable. The same skillset needed to maintain these advanced systems is what uncovers hidden opportunities for improvement across the entire facility.

By applying their efficiency-first mindset, an FM team can drive down operating expenses, lower PUE and ensure a data center’s long-term success.

Expert facilities management is a constant balancing act between maintaining strict service level agreements (SLAs) and relentlessly pursuing efficiency. This often involves challenging conventions or employing creative strategies.

Consider the long-held belief that data center server rooms must be kept at low temperatures.

At one 100 MW facility, a JLL team put this assumption to the test. After confirming equipment tolerances with server manufacturers, they raised the ambient temperature from 70°F to 90°F. The result was immediate, saving the client thousands of dollars each month.

In another case, a data center’s FM team in Chicago turned the facility’s location into an asset. By modifying the air-cooling system to use filtered outside air nine months a year, the facility dramatically reduced reliance on power-hungry chillers and significantly improved its PUE.

The impact of an efficiency mindset extends far beyond a better PUE score and can be felt across the entire facility.

An emphasis on a lower PUE forces the team running it to understand their systems inside out. This familiarity naturally leads to improved reliability and higher uptime as they have better visibility into the health of all equipment.

This also allows for a smarter, predictive approach to maintenance. Instead of following a fixed schedule, the team uses data to predict issues, catching small problems before they escalate into costly failures.

When this operational discipline results in using less energy and replacing fewer parts, sustainability stops being a separate goal. It becomes the built-in result of a more profitable and reliable operation.

The real power of this mindset shows up when you apply it across an entire portfolio. It’s the difference between improving a single piece of equipment and changing how your entire operation runs.

While the industry's shared challenge is clear, the solution isn't found in a single piece of technology, but in how the entire facility is managed.

This is where having the right FM team makes the difference. They see the whole picture, applying the same efficiency principles to every system, whether they’re managing advanced liquid cooling infrastructure or a decade-old chiller. This comprehensive understanding of all systems helps them find opportunities for savings and enhancements that are easily overlooked.

In an industry facing unprecedented demand and limited power, this expertise is what ensures a data center is built to last.

Is your data center running at peak efficiency? A smarter FM strategy can lower your operating costs and improve your PUE. Connect with a JLL data center facilities expert to identify efficiency opportunities across your portfolio.