As artificial intelligence, online shopping, and cloud storage continue to grow, data centers are popping up all over the country.
These large buildings house computer servers and need a lot of electricity to run.
While they are vital to keeping the internet running smoothly, they’ve also brought an unexpected problem—noise.
And when data centers are built close to residential neighborhoods, nearby residents are starting to complain.
Gregory Miller and his team at Trinity Consultants have been studying this issue and recently shared their findings at a major acoustics conference held in May.
They explained that one of the biggest problems is the lack of clear and consistent local noise rules.
In many places, there are no specific laws that limit how loud data centers can be or how often they can make noise. And in areas where rules do exist, they often vary from one city or county to the next, making it hard for developers to follow them and for residents to get help.
On top of that, many new data centers are being built with their own power stations because available sites with enough electricity are running out. These on-site power plants are often just as noisy—or even noisier—than the data centers themselves.
To address the problem, Miller’s team has identified the noisiest parts of data centers and suggested ways to quiet them down.
Some of the most effective solutions include building sound barriers, using thicker walls around power plants, and installing special devices that reduce low-frequency noise from large machines.
Miller emphasized the importance of bringing both developers and communities into the conversation. His team is working with developers to show how they can be respectful neighbors and with local communities to help them create stronger, clearer noise rules.
He believes this kind of cooperation is key to solving the issue.
“We want to create an environment where residents don’t have to deal with loud, disruptive noise, and where developers have clear rules to follow when building new data centers,” said Miller.
With better communication, smarter building strategies, and stronger local policies, Miller hopes the future will include quieter data centers that can operate smoothly without disturbing the peace of nearby neighborhoods.
