NEMA, ASHRAE, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have published an AI data center energy performance framework aimed at guiding design, installation, maintenance, and operations for critical energy infrastructure in data centers, including electrical, heating, and cooling equipment and integrated systems.
Called the AI Data Center Energy Performance Framework, the document is positioned as a consolidated operating guide that connects technical standards, guidance, and deployment practices for the data center environment. The organizations describe it as covering “all aspects” of energy sourcing, energy use, and water use across data center design, construction, and operations.
The framework lays out best practices and applicable standards across planning and siting, integrated design principles, energy and thermal efficiency, grid-interactive design, resilient design, commissioning and performance validation, operations and maintenance, and retrofit and modernization strategies. For engineers, the practical value will depend on how directly it maps these topics to implementable requirements and testable procedures—especially for commissioning, performance validation, and ongoing operations.
The document references more than a dozen NEMA technical standards and guidance documents, including resources related to energy storage systems, microgrids, fire and life safety equipment, insulating material, transformers, switchgear, uninterrupted power supply systems, wire and cable, electricity metering, and alternating current grounding and bonding systems.
“As data centers grow in number, complexity, and scale, it’s imperative that they operate safely, reliably, and as efficiently as possible,” said NEMA President and CEO Debra Phillips. “The AI Data Center Energy Performance Framework that NEMA has developed with ASHRAE and PNNL is a new way of connecting standards, guidance, and deployment into one operating guide designed specifically for the data center environment.”
ASHRAE President Bill McQuade said the framework “brings together the collective expertise of ASHRAE, PNNL and NEMA to deliver practical, integrated solutions.” PNNL’s Bing Liu described it as “a dynamic online resource that can be updated.”
Source: NEMA
