Executive Summary
- Data centres may have become the backbone of our digital economy, but cooling is the silent enabler.
- High-density racks, AI workloads and increasingly remote campuses are putting additional strain on HVAC infrastructure.
- Andrew Beardsmore, Service Sales Director at Carrier Commercial HVAC, explains why the sector needs more than a calendar-based service schedule.
As demand for energy and uptime intensifies in the UK’s data centre sector, the often-overlooked discipline of HVAC maintenance could be one of the industry’s most powerful tools.
Cushman & Wakefield’s H2 2025 data centre update reveals that London is Europe’s largest data centre marketi, with over 1.3GW in operation and another 1.6GW in the pipeline. As AI adoption accelerates and colocation demand surges, the city is on track to become the first EMEA market to reach 2GW in capacity in three to five years if the pending pipeline comes to fruition. But with power constraints, planning delays and scrutiny over energy use, operators are under pressure to make every kilowatt count.
While attention is increasingly drawn to innovations like immersion and liquid cooling, already gaining traction in markets like Lisbon, Frankfurt and Helsinki, the UK remains grounded in more traditional cooling strategies. Chillers, air handling units, computer room air handlers and dry air coolers are still the workhorses of thermal management in most UK facilities. Yet, what often gets overlooked is the servicing of these systems. Correct and regular maintenance is one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to improve energy efficiency right now.
The Efficiency Opportunity Hidden in Plain Sight
Unlike the flashy headlines about cutting-edge cooling, the real efficiency gains today often come from inspecting, calibrating, brushing and testing. HVAC systems are rarely the first thing a boardroom talks about when discussing sustainability or ESG targets. But perhaps they should be because HVAC systems have an important role to play. Poor maintenance leads to underperformance, overconsumption and higher emissions – all of which undermine sustainability credentials.
In facilities where uptime is critical, even a small decline in cooling efficiency can be costly. Carrier technicians have reported that even light particulate build-up, less than a millimetre, can reduce system efficiency by as much as 15–20%. Multiply that across multiple chillers running 24/7 and the energy waste soon ramps up.
What a Good Maintenance Programme Looks Like
A robust chiller service programme for a mission-critical environment like a data centre should be pre-emptive, rather than reactive, because reacting could be too late.
Some of the most impactful maintenance tasks include leak detection, which manage refrigerant loss. Suction and discharge pressure checks help diagnose load handling and confirm that compressors aren’t being overworked. Subcooling and superheat measurements fine-tune refrigerant flow for optimal thermal performance. Cleaning condenser coils helps restore heat transfer, while electrical and sensor inspections catch potential faults before they escalate into costly failures. Checks on expansion valve position, oil pressure, vibration isolators and freeze protection settings all contribute to reliability and resilience.
From Maintenance to Market Leadership
Legacy systems remain a vital part of many data centre operations and, when properly maintained, can continue to deliver reliable, efficient performance. In today’s high-demand environment, consistent servicing is not just about upkeep; it can play an important role in protecting business continuity, energy performance and compliance.
With high-density racks, AI workloads and increasingly remote campuses putting additional strain on HVAC infrastructure, the sector needs more than a calendar-based service schedule. It needs condition-based strategies, performance logging and technicians who understand the difference between data and insight.
Forward-thinking operators are embracing a more strategic approach to HVAC service, one that pairs core maintenance with higher-value services designed to support business goals. This includes CapEx (Capital Expenditure) budget assistance, which helps operators plan future investments based on system condition, lifecycle stage and long-term efficiency targets. It also includes design optimisation services, offering expert guidance on how to improve chiller plant layout and configuration for better reliability, resilience and output.
Performance analysis services are equally valuable. By evaluating PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) across HVAC and IT infrastructure, engineers can pinpoint sources of energy waste and produce tailored roadmaps for improvement. Carbon assessments, energy audits and commissioning support provide essential evidence and assurance that cooling systems are operating within their environmental targets and original design specifications.
The Quiet Work That Powers the Cloud
Data centres may have become the backbone of our digital economy, but cooling is the silent enabler. And in the UK, where ambition is high but advanced cooling technology isn’t quite there yet, the role of skilled service technicians is more important than ever.
They’re becoming key partners in performance, compliance and sustainability. Until advanced cooling methods like immersion or liquid cooling become mainstream, likely not for another couple of years, the most meaningful gains will come from getting more out of the systems already in place.
