The survey showed one-in-four sensors monitoring essential functions such as heating , cooling , humidity control and other operations were found to be inaccurate .

Furthermore , installation deficiencies were identified in new data centres more than 15 % of the time . SCI attributes these inaccuracies to various root causes , including evolving technology demands and oversights in sensor design , selection and installation .

SCI , based in Chesapeake , Virginia , warned that overlooking sensor inaccuracy can lead to costly downtime and operational inefficiencies for data centres .

Recognising the significant need , SCI launched SensorProQ , a no-cost sensor health check service for building management systems . It ’ s pitched as a comprehensive , no-fee health check performed onsite at data centres to uncover potential sensor and monitoring issues affecting building system performance . The health check provides actionable recommendations to address identified problems proactively .

" The potential financial repercussions of inaccurate building sensors can be severe ," said SCI President , Mike Meyer . " In a recent case , a global SCI customer had initiated a US $ 3m project to upgrade critical supply fans believed to be underperforming based on inaccurate sensor data . If we had not intervened by verifying sensor installation and setup during our preliminary health checks and then recalibrating out-oftolerance sensors , the customer would have proceeded with this unnecessary multi-million dollar upgrade .

“ For data centre owners and operators , this reality begs the question : Can I truly trust the integrity of my building sensor data ?” added Meyer .

Meyer emphasised accurate sensors alone will not guarantee precise measurements of heat , humidity , cooling capacity and other essential building measurements . " Ensuring sensor accuracy within the building after installation and at regular intervals is vital to maintaining system performance and preventing unplanned and unnecessary risk and costs ."

Accurate building sensor data is the cornerstone of maintaining system performance and achieving sustainability targets for data centre owners and operators .

INTELLIGENT OPERATIONS

However , drifting , inaccurate or failing sensors can have severe consequences and may lead to underperforming HVAC systems , increased energy consumption , and unnecessary equipment wear – all of which can significantly impact risk and cost .

SCI said ensuring the accuracy and reliability of building sensors is a strategic imperative for business executives seeking to safeguard their data centre investments and maintain a competitive edge .

As part of the SensorProQ service , SCI also offers QAQC surveys and consultations that help mitigate risk by ensuring sensors are installed correctly , fully set up and functioning as intended . These SensorProQ checks are conducted seamlessly and with no disruption to critical data centre operations . �

54 www . intelligentdatacentres . com