Future Data Centres
Posted: 3 March 2022
Efficient lighting for critical spaces
Developments in technology have driven significant changes in the number and size of data centres. Increased use of smart phones, social media, and online shopping are examples of behaviours driving these changes and lighting has had to adapt to ensure data centres are lit with energy-efficient and sustainable solutions. Data centres are power hungry spaces, consuming lots of electricity and costing businesses millions to operate each year. Most of the energy usage is driven by servers and the HVAC systems needed to keep them cool, with lighting only representing between 3–5%, which is why it’s often overlooked as an area that can make a significant contribution to lowering energy consumption.
However, as in most applications, lighting is the simplest way to achieve improved efficiencies and introducing intelligent and efficient LED lighting solutions to replace traditional light sources can drive up to 65% in energy savings as well as significantly lowering the heat generated by a facility’s lighting. Installing efficient, durable and reliable lighting solutions is critically important to ensure these information factories always remain operational. Good lighting in plant rooms helps maintenance staff and computer engineers identify and address issues, whilst improved cable management and inspection can be achieved by ensuring efficient lighting in data halls.
Data Centres have stringent access controls and absolute precision is required when working around tightly spaced server cages and fibre optic cables. By installing effective LED solutions that deliver the correct light levels needed in different areas, these practical challenges are well handled. However, with controls to optimise efficiency and design to make maintenance as non-disruptive as possible, significant savings can be achieved. Intelligent lighting systems such as Sylvania’s SylSmart can drive even more savings in energy consumption with an outstanding level of performance, offering a sustainable solution.
From Human Centric Lighting to Standards & Regulations
According to the latest studies, people spend approximately 90% of their time indoors*. This means that we are most often subjected to artificially lit environments and are deprived of the benefits of sunlight. As natural light rules our biological rhythm, it is of the greatest importance for well-being and productivity, at any time of the day. With a real Human Centric Lighting solution, Sylvania brings a game-changing innovation, recreating the full spectrum of natural light.
Sylvania LumiNature marks a new era in human centric lighting: it recreates sunlight. Its complete spectral curve with eliminated blue peaks and truest colours makes it one of the most natural artificial lights. LumiNature gives you something that even the sun cannot: dynamic lighting control. The SylSmart Standalone and SylSmart Connected control options offer you full optimisation and tunability.
Intelligent lighting systems make significant contributions to the eco-performance of data centres. Through the abundant flexibility and feature-rich control functionalities, they provide the optimum light in each environment, and thereby secure the highest possible energy efficiency. With its wireless technology, sensors, and distributed intelligence, Smart Lighting is the backbone of the digital infrastructure of buildings. Sylvania strives to ensure that the foundations of its’ products are robust and deliver the very best quality and service. Security By Design (SBD) is an integral part of Smart Lighting and is maintained as one of the cornerstones of Sylvania’s quality ethics supported by an open Vulnerability Discovery and Disclosure Policy.
Besides the wireless, plug-and-play lighting control solution, SylSmart Standalone, Sylvania offers SylSmart Connected, using wireless mesh communication technology. SylSmart Connected is highly secure from end-to-end and through life. It has been certified by BSI IoT Foundation and has been verified against a wide range of attack vectors using recognised test methods including OWASP IoT Top 10, ETSI EN 303 645, and NIST. Built on a backbone of Qualified Bluetooth mesh the entire system from the in-luminaire intelligent sensor, through to the mobile and web applications, all the way to the cloud infrastructure including gateway, has passed the latest standard, independent security assessment.
*2018- YouGov survey “Indoor Generation” -16,000 people in 14 countries in Europe and North America
Emergency lighting is an integral part of any lighting design to ensure adequate illumination is provided when standard lighting fails and maintain site safety and protection for occupants. In a data centre where efficient operations are critical, sufficient illumination can enable work to continue or allow engineers to repair any issues and get normal power restored as quickly as possible.
Fundamentally, data centres are critical buildings where in the event of a power outage engineers must be able to work uninterrupted, so emergency lighting becomes a crucial element of safety and security. Certain areas of data centres offer limited natural light so effective lighting is supported with effective emergency lighting keeping exits clearly illuminated, along any possible evacuation routes, ensuring everyone can get outside safely as quickly as possible.
Sylvania offers a range of integrated or stand-alone LED emergency luminaires, emergency exit signs and control and monitoring products that deliver a durable and reliable emergency lighting system perfectly suited to meeting the varied and challenging environments of data centres.
The right light enables people to perform visual tasks efficiently and accurately including tasks performed over a prolonged period or of a repetitive nature. When installing lighting in data centres there are many factors to consider, the principal one being the wellbeing and performance of staff and the visibility of all equipment. The lighting requirements are determined by the satisfaction of three human needs such as visual comfort, performance and safety.
In any room where lighting controls have been installed, it is the responsibility of the management staff, even during periods of occupancy, to ensure there is the capability for switching on and off the lighting to reduce wasted energy. The automated control of luminaires is an invaluable help, allowing artificial lighting to synchronise with the level of daylight and dim or switch off as levels of natural lighting dictate it is not needed, or when the room is unoccupied.
Sylvania is a leading provider of total solutions for professional and architectural lighting. With nearly 100 years of expertise in luminaires and lamps, Sylvania has an extended offer for the public, private and commercial sectors. For your offices, choose our quality guarantee, and as Sylvania is not only a manufacturer, there is also a complete range of services at your disposal. Allow yourself a full serenity with Sylvania’s expertise and be assured that all your lighting projects benefit from perfectly mastered solutions.
From power plants and data halls through control rooms and offices to outdoor areas, Sylvania offers you best in class luminaires and services, compliance with regulations and financing solutions. Sylvania is an expert at your side, each step of the way.
