Ten questions concerning the integration of edge data centers in buildings

Source abstract

This ten-question paper examines the integration of edge data centers into buildings, considering both design and operational aspects. It provides a structured overview of techno-economic, environmental, and operational aspects of deploying edge data centers within the built environment. The paper begins by clarifying definitions, sizing, and operational characteristics of edge data centers, along with the key drivers for their adoption, including latency, data security, and resilience. Subsequent questions examine cooling technologies suitable for building integration, comparing their performance, reliability, and implications for waste heat recovery and utilization. Such analysis considers temperature levels, temporal load matching, and synergies with building energy demands and local thermal conversion and storage technologies. Environmental performance is assessed using key performance indicators that extend beyond energy efficiency to include carbon impacts and system-level sustainability considerations. A central contribution of the paper is to address how edge data centers can be incorporated into building energy system planning, accounting for multi-vector interactions across electricity, heat, and renewable energy sources. The roles of advanced energy system modeling, optimization methods, energy management systems, and digital twins are critically reviewed, highlighting their current capabilities and limitations. Control strategies are discussed in terms of operational priorities between building services and data center requirements. Design guidelines and practical insights derived from pilot implementation provide empirical grounding and actionable recommendations. Finally, the paper explores scalability, replicability, and associated business models, identifying pathways to wider deployment of low-carbon, efficient, and resilient building energy systems.