Location: Gatineau, Québec
Owner/Operator: Equinix 
Environmental Consultants: ERM

Equinix is a global leader in Data Centers and colocation services for enterprise networks and cloud computing. Equinix operates 260 International Business Exchange (IBX) Data Centers in 33 countries across five continents. HGC was retained by ERM to conduct a noise impact study of an Equinix’s OT1 facility in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. This IBX serves the nearby core city of Ottawa market by offering access to blue-chip customers with high-security requirements. This study was required to support an application to the province of Quebec’s Ministry of the Environment (MELCCFP) to permit the operation of mechanical equipment at the Data Center.

Data Center Main Sources of Noise

Equinix’s OT1 facility is a secure, temperature-controlled Data Center that houses a network of servers, storage systems, and related equipment, providing the infrastructure needed to store, manage, and deliver data and applications. The data centre has received a LEED Gold status for design and construction and is also Tier III certified by the Uptime Institute for high availability and resiliency. The facility operates 24/7 and during daily operation, the main sources of noise from the installation are the rooftop cooling units, the cooling compressor system, and the exhaust fans. In addition to the standard mechanical equipment, the plant is equipped with four emergency generators and two load banks. This equipment is primarily used to provide backup power in emergency situations, when the power grid is not available. The generators are not used in regular operation, but are tested every month for a total of four hours during the day. There is also a backup fire water pump, which is tested periodically.

In the summer, the facility uses specialized cooling equipment, including louvered ventilation openings on the east and west facades of the cooling compressor providing cooling power to the computer equipment and a total of twelve HVAC units on the roof serving offices and other workstations. During the winter, the cooling equipment is turned off and the installation may occasionally use exhaust fans to exhaust hot air and to draw cold air through passive ventilation openings.

Predictive Acoustical Computer Model

During visits by HGC acousticians, the sound levels of the facility were measured at the nearest noise sensitive points of reception. In addition, the sound levels of each individual noise source at the Data Center were measured. The results of these measurements were used to develop a computational acoustic model of the facility to determine the contribution of each individual noise source to the overall sound levels at the receptor points. The acoustic evaluation criteria were established in accordance with the sound level limits of the MELCCFP instruction note 98-01 (NI-98-01) 

Data Center Noise Impact Study

The objective of the noise impact study was to evaluate the noise levels of the Data Center during operating scenarios with the highest potential sound level impact on the surrounding noise sensitive reception points.

A City of Gatineau zoning map was used to identify the land uses around the facility. The lands to the west and north are zoned for commercial purposes and do not include any noise sensitive points. The most noise-sensitive assessment points identified were single-family homes located in an agricultural area immediately to the northwest and a daycare located in a commercial area directly to the north. Background noise in the vicinity of these assessment points are dominated by local road traffic. During typical operations, excluding during emergency equipment testing, the Data Center was inaudible at noise sensitive evaluation points.

Based on the results of the acoustical assessment, several noise control measures were recommended. After the implementation of proposed noise control measures, the noise levels coming from facility were expected to be in compliance with the MELCCFP noise limits at all noise sensitive reception points.

• Comprehensive onsite and offsite acoustical measurements to ensure compliance with local regulatory limits
• Predictive acoustical modeling
• Noise control measure recommendations to ensure regulatory compliance