CHICAGO — Grainger announced its new data center in Lake Forest, Illinois, is certified as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) facility.

The data center features an advanced cooling system. The energy used for cooling the facility is controlled by strictly managing airflow using outside air to cool the facility.

“Our goal is always to build the most sustainable facility possible,” said Gail Edgar, vice president of Grainger Real Estate and Facilities Services. “One of the most important components of the project was to realize significant energy savings by maintaining low power usage effectiveness (PUE), which measures the energy used beyond the IT load.”

The data center’s air cooling design is anticipated to boast a PUE rating of 1.2 at full capacity.

Throughout planning and construction, Grainger’s project team partnered with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to provide feedback about the new v4 BD+C standards, which were finalized more than seven months after the project broke ground. The team worked quickly to incorporate the new standards into the certification process.

“The Grainger team has not only created a space that mitigates greenhouse gas emissions and saves money through reduced energy and water use, but as a LEED v4 BD+C project, they are also playing an essential role in driving the market toward healthier, better buildings for all,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO, and founding chairman of the USGBC.

Publication date: 10/6/2014 

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