The exponential growth of AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud-based solutions is driving the need for scalable, high-density data centers. This increasing demand necessitates a shift in how these facilities are built, operated, and powered.

Data centers are among the most energy-intensive buildings, consuming up to 50 times more energy per square foot than typical office buildings. This demand is only expected to grow as digital technology advances.

Housed in ever-increasing building footprints, data centers not only consume massive amounts of electrical utility power – nearly three percent of the world’s electricity use – but they do so at a scale and consistency of consumption unrivaled by any other industrial or commercial sector, making it critically important for finding new ways to power their facilities and decarbonize their operations.

The ever-growing demand for data centers creates a unique challenge: achieving optimal performance while minimizing environmental impact. Recognizing this need, Legence, a leading provider in North America of integrated energy efficiency and sustainability solutions, is redefining what it means to be a data center partner.

Complex data center projects often involve fragmented services and siloed expertise, making them complicated and expensive to manage. Legence breaks this mold by offering clients a comprehensive suite of stackable solutions across the entire building lifecycle.

Energy advisory and sustainability 

  • Sustainability consulting: Create a fine-tuned strategy to maximize energy efficiency, utilize renewables, and meet emission reduction goals. 
  • Design and consulting engineering: Ensure your space is future-proofed, scalable, high-performing, and environmentally responsible. 
  • Program management: Take a fully integrated approach to comprehensive facility planning, funding, design, and construction implementation. 
  • Energy performance contracting: Upgrade your facilities in a budget-neutral way with renovations that pay for themselves. 

Solutions delivery 

  • Mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) contracting services: Accelerate construction planning and building without disruptive handoffs between teams. 
  • In-plant services: Utilize skilled craftspeople with a constant on-site presence for ongoing facility enhancements. 
  • Preventative maintenance and service: Ensure seamless functionality and building optimization through a single trusted source. 
  • Fabrication, process and controls: Experience a higher level of design standards with custom sheet metal work from our state-of-the-art automated fabrication shops and more efficiency with turnkey process systems and controls.

Building a sustainable future, together

With over 50 years of industry experience, more than 4,000 highly specialized engineers, technicians, and craftspeople, and 65+ offices across the US, Legence elevates data center expertise, going beyond the expected by combining deep data center knowledge with a sustainability focus.

This comprehensive approach helps 100+ data center clients build highly efficient, scalable, and resilient data centers faster and at greater scale. Legence’s seamless project delivery ensures these facilities not only meet clients’ performance and energy goals, but also contribute to a more sustainable future.

A success story: Colovore partners with a Legence company, Therma, for sustainable data center solutions

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– Legence

In 2012, Colovore, a startup colocation data center in Santa Clara, CA, set out to design and build the most sustainable, energy-efficient, high-density data center in the colocation industry.

The 24,000 sq. ft. data center is a new state-of-the-art facility with efficient liquid-cooled servers cabinets. A Legence company, Therma, California's leading provider of turnkey data center solutions partnered with Colovore to optimize the benefits of their new system, prioritizing:

  • Cost-savings
  • Carbon emissions reductions
  • Energy code compliance.

The new data center was designed to accommodate a total of 6MW in critical IT load. In addition to significant maintenance and operating cost reductions, Therma’s innovative design and phased approach resulted in an over 6,000-ton carbon reduction – a staggering 50 percent annual carbon emissions reduction compared to best-in-class data centers.

"Our partnership with Colovore emphasized a dual focus on energy efficiency and environmental impact. By optimizing factors like PUE and WUE, we not only surpassed industry standards but also leveraged Santa Clara's climate to drive exceptional performance in phases three and four of the project,” commented Mehrdad Alipour, director of Critical Facilities Engineering, Therma.

The project earned Therma second place at the 2023 ASHRAE Technology Awards, and with the implementation of a best-in class Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), Colovore’s state-of-the-art liquid cooled server cabinets and the use of recycled water from the municipality for backup instead of well water, significantly reduced the project’s environmental impact and the facility’s energy use.

Visit the Legence website to learn more about Legence solutions and companies.