Telecom and Data Centers

Willdan Meets the Mission-Critical Energy Needs of Telecom and Data Centers

Willdan understands the unique interactive effects of power and heat in mission-critical, complex campuses and has delivered energy projects for facilities ranging from 10,000 to 1,000,000 square feet. Our specialized analysis includes engineering, energy assessments, system controls integration, and construction services, with multi-phased project delivery to avoid operational disruptions. Our tailored solutions prioritize reliability and uptime, improve energy efficiency, and achieve sustainability goals — especially important with increased loads from Artificial Intelligence (AI). Willdan’s approach extends equipment life, increases reliability, frees up trapped capacity, and reduces operating expenses (OpEx), capital expenditures (CapEx), and CO₂ emissions.

The energy savings payback on these projects ranges from 2 months to 2.5 years (~1 year on average). We work closely with our customer’s preferred contractor(s) to ensure project scopes are accurately proposed and implemented. Our M&V teams validate energy savings in advance of project closeout to obtain the highest utility program cash incentives wherever possible.

Contact: Our Telecom and Data Center Energy Engineers

Highlighted Projects

Lumen Seattle Central Office Building Energy Efficiency

Lumen Technologies – Seattle, WA

Incentives for Energy Efficiency in Central Office Buildings

A recent modernization effort required HVAC components and the Building Management System (BMS) to match dynamic carrier space loads across Lumen’s 11 central office buildings. Willdan provided energy audits and mechanical/controls recommendations, reserving $884,168 in Puget Sound Energy (PSE) utility cash incentives. Resulting projects included fan motor replacements, VFDs additions, new temperature sensors, and modifications to air distribution and building automation sequences. These upgrades had a 2-year average payback, saved 2.5M kWh annually, and reduced Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) by 0.17. Willdan completed Functional Performance Testing and Trend Analysis Reporting to enhance program sequencing and verification.

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Evoque Data Centers – Mesa, AZ

Comprehensive Assessment for Energy Efficiency and Reliability

Willdan provided a comprehensive assessment to enhance energy efficiency and reliability for Evoque, a data center provider in Mesa, AZ. Utilizing the Vigilant® control system, they optimized CRAH unit operations but found inefficiencies due to high fan speeds and low chilled water temperatures. Through Willdan’s retro-commissioning and detailed energy analysis, Evoque adjusted setpoints and optimized cooling systems, resulting in significant annual energy savings of 1.5M kWh while improving overall operational efficiency.

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Data Center for Large National Telecom Services Provider – Seattle, WA

Replacement of Aging Mechanical Equipment

Willdan helped one of the largest national telecom service providers address challenges with aging mechanical equipment in their Pacific Northwest data center. Willdan conducted energy assessments, recommending early replacement of 8 outdated Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems to improve efficiency. Willdan obtained baseline energy data and optimized UPS operations to maximize energy savings and qualify for a cash incentive from Puget Sound Energy (PSE), resulting in $4.1M+ kWh of annual energy savings and improved financial payback for the project.

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