Data  Center  Profiler  (DC  Pro)  Tool:  
User’s  Manual  
 

DC  Pro  Version  4    

Manual  Updated  August  18,  2016  

The  User’s  Manual  and  the  DC  Pro  tool  were  developed  by  Lawrence  Berkeley  National  
Laboratory  (LBNL)  for  the  U.S.  Department  of  Energy  (DOE)  

For  questions  and  additional  information,  please  email:    

[email protected]  
 
 
 DISCLAIMER  

This   document   was   prepared   as   part   of   work   sponsored   by   the   United   States   Government.  
While   this   document   is   believed   to   contain   correct   information,   neither   the   United   States  
Government,  nor  any  agency  thereof,  nor  The  Regents  of  the  University  of  California,  operator  
of  the  Lawrence  Berkeley  National  Laboratory  under  DOE  Contract,  nor  any  of  their  employees  
or  licensors,  make  any  warranty,  express  or  implied,  or  assumes  any  legal  responsibility  for  the  
accuracy,   completeness,   or   usefulness   of   any   information,   apparatus,   product,   or   process  
disclosed,   or   represents   that   its   use   would   not   infringe   privately   owned   rights.   Reference   herein  
to   any   specific   commercial   product,   process,   or   service   by   its   trade   name,   trademark,  
manufacturer,   or   otherwise   does   not   necessarily   constitute   or   imply   its   endorsement,  
recommendation,   or   favoring   by   the   United   States   Government   or   any   agency   thereof,   or   The  
Regents  of  the  University  of  California.  The  views  and  opinions  of  the  authors  expressed  herein  
do  not  necessarily  state  or  reflect  those  of  the  United  States  Government  or  any  agency  thereof  
or  The  Regents  of  the  University  of  California.  

The   materials   contained   in   this   document   are   being   provided   for   training   purposes   only,   and  
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recording,   except   as   may   be   expressly   permitted   by   the   1976   Copyright   Act   or   with   the   prior  
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Notice:   Materials   contained   in   this   document   were   produced   under   Contract   with   the   U.S.  
Department   of   Energy.   Accordingly,   the   Government   has   certain   rights   in   this   copyrighted   work.  
 
 

Copyright©  2016  The  Regents  of  the  University  of  California,  operator  of  the  Lawrence  Berkeley  
National  Laboratory.  All  Rights  Reserved.  
 

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   2  

Table  of  Contents  
OVERVIEW  ................................................................................................................................................  4  
KEY  FEATURES  ...........................................................................................................................................................  4  
ADDITIONAL  TOOLS  ..................................................................................................................................................  5  
GETTING  STARTED  ................................................................................................................................  5  
REGISTERING  OR  LOGGING  IN  ..................................................................................................................................  6  
CREATING  A  DATA  CENTER  OR  SELECTING  EXISTING  ........................................................................................  6  
CREATING  A  NEW  ASSESSMENT  OR  SELECTING  EXISTING  ................................................................................  7  
COMPLETING  AN  ASSESSMENT  (SECTIONS  1  AND  2)  .................................................................  7  
SECTION  1  -­‐  DATA  CENTER  GENERAL  INFORMATION  ........................................................................................  8  
SECTION  2.1  -­‐  ENERGY  USE  SYSTEMS  -­‐  ENERGY  MANAGEMENT  .....................................................................  9  
SECTION  2.2  -­‐  ENERGY  USE  SYSTEMS  -­‐  IT  EQUIPMENT  .................................................................................  10  
SECTION  2.3  -­‐  ENERGY  USE  SYSTEMS  -­‐  ENVIRONMENTAL  CONDITIONS  .....................................................  10  
SECTION  2.4  -­‐  ENERGY  USE  SYSTEMS  -­‐  AIR  MANAGEMENT  ..........................................................................  12  
SECTION  2.5  -­‐  ENERGY  USE  SYSTEMS  -­‐  COOLING  ............................................................................................  13  
SECTION  2.6  -­‐  ENERGY  USE  SYSTEMS  -­‐  IT  EQUIPMENT  POWER  CHAIN  ......................................................  14  
SECTION  2.7  -­‐  ENERGY  USE  SYSTEMS  -­‐  LIGHTING  ...........................................................................................  15  
SECTION  3  -­‐  RESULTS  ............................................................................................................................................  15  
SECTION  4  –  RECOMMENDED  TASKS  ..................................................................................................................  16  
EXPORTING/PRINTING  AN  ASSESSMENT  ...................................................................................  16  
FULL  LIST  OF  QUESTIONS  .................................................................................................................  18  
PUE  CALCULATION  METHOD  ..........................................................................................................  24  
 

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   3  

Overview  
This  manual  is  a  step-­‐by-­‐step  guide  for  using  DC  Pro  V4  (DC  Pro)  including  how  to  get  started,  
provide   the   required   inputs,   and   view   results.   DC   Pro   is   an   “early   stage”   assessment   tool  
designed   for   data   center   owners   and   operators   to   diagnose   how   energy   use   is   distributed   in  
their   data   center   and   determine   ways   to   save   energy   and   money.   DC   Pro   estimates   a   data  
center’s  current  and  potential  Power  Usage  Effectiveness  (PUE)1  and  energy  use  distribution.  It  
also   provides   a   tailored   list   of   recommended   tasks   for   improvement.   Results   can   be   exported   as  
stand-­‐alone  reports  or  for  inclusion  in  other  reporting  material.    
 
DC  Pro  and  the  simplified  PUE  Estimator  as  known  collectively  as  the  DC  Pro  Tools.  Both  tools  
are   sponsored   by   the   U.S.   Department   of   Energy   and   hosted   by   the   Lawrence   Berkeley   National  
Laboratory   (LBNL,   Berkeley   Lab)   on   the   Center   of   Expertise   for   Energy   Efficiency   in   Data   Centers  
website  (CoE):  datacenters.lbl.gov  

Key  Features  
 
• Registration  is  required,  but  
the  tool  is  free  to  use;  
 
• Web-­‐based  and  confidential;  
 
• Data  are  not  available  to  
other  users;  
 
• Designed  for  use  at  the  
beginning  of  an  energy  
management  plan  to  baseline  
energy  use;    
 
• Accuracy  of  the  results  
depends  on  accuracy  of  the  
information  entered;  
 
• Basic  guidance  for  entering  
the  data  correctly  is  built  into  
the  tool.   Figure  1:  Center  of  Expertise  Website  

                                                                                                                       
1
 PUE  is  the  ratio  of  Total  Facility  Energy  to  IT  Equipment  Energy.  It  is  the  commonly  used  metric  to  describe  data  
center  infrastructure  efficiency.  More  specifically,  PUE  =  (IT  Energy  Use  +  Lighting  Energy  Use  +  Electric  Distribution  
Loss  +  Fans  Energy  Use  +  Cooling  &  Humidity  Control  Energy  Use  +  Standby  Generation  Loss  +  Misc.  Losses)  /  (IT  
Energy  Use).  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   4  

 Additional  Tools  
For  a  more  detailed  air  management  assessment,  please  see  the  Data  Center  Air  Management  
Tool:  https://datacenters.lbl.gov/tools/5-­‐data-­‐center-­‐air-­‐management-­‐tool-­‐featured  
 
For  guidance  on  calculating  PUE  with  sub-­‐metering,  please  see  the  Data  Center  Metering  and  
Resource  Guide:  https://datacenters.lbl.gov/resources/data-­‐center-­‐metering-­‐and-­‐resource-­‐
guide  
 

Getting  Started  
The  DC  Pro  Tools  page  can  be  accessed  from  the  Center  of  Expertise  (CoE)  homepage  by  clicking  
the  “DC  Pro  Tools”  listing  as  a  Featured  Resource  or  by  clicking  the  Tools  tab.  It  can  be  accessed  
directly  by  entering  this  address:  datacenters.lbl.gov/dcpro  

Log  in  or  

Register  

Resources  

  Figure  2:  DC  Pro  Tools  Page  

 
The  DC  Pro  Tools  homepage  hosts  DC  Pro,  the  PUE  Estimator,  and  other  resources  that  may  be  
of  interest,  including:      

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   5  

  
• Calculation  Reference  Manual:  In-­‐depth  look  at  the  calculations  taking  place  behind  DC  Pro;  
• Data  Center  Master  List  of  Energy  Efficiency  Actions:  Complete  list  of  best  practices  that  are  
drawn  upon  for  the  tailored  list  of  recommended  tasks  provided  in  DC  Pro;  and  
• DC  Pro  Full  List  of  Questions:  Microsoft  Word  document  to  collect  data  offline.    

Registering  or  Logging  in  

From  the  DC  Pro  Tools  page  click  “Log  in  or  Register  to  being  using  DC  Pro.”  Log  in  credentials  
created  in  DC  Pro  V3  can  be  used  for  V4  and  data  previously  entered  into  V3  will  automatically  
be  listed.    
 
Register  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Log  in  

 
 
 
  Figure  3:  Log  in  or  Registration  
 
Once  logged  in,  you  are  at  the  assessment  home  page,  which  includes  the  “How  to  use  the  tools  
on  this  page?”  section.  This  section  provides  an  overview  of  DC  Pro’s  functionality  and  how  to  
perform  specific  tasks,  including:  
 
• How  to  create  a  record  for  a  new  data  center  (Data  Center  for  the  Data  Center  Explorer);  
• How  to  create  a  new  assessment  to  estimate  PUE,  energy  use  distribution,  and  provide;  
tailored  recommendations  (DC  Profile);    
• How  to  add,  edit,  delete,  and  export  DC  Profiles.  
 
The  main  steps  for  DC  Pro  are  outlined  below,  but  reading  through  the  “How  to  use  the  tools”  
section  is  highly  recommended.  You  can  return  to  this  page  by  clicking  Assessment  Home.  

Creating  a  Data  Center  or  Selecting  Existing    

If  you  already  have  a  record  for  your  data  center,  you  will  see  it  listed  in  the  Data  Center  
Explorer  in  the  top  left  of  the  screen.  If  do  not  see  your  data  center,  or  wish  to  enter  a  new  one,  
click  “add  it  here.”  A  new  data  center  does  not  need  to  be  created  each  time  you  want  to  assess  
your  data  center;  instead  a  new  DC  Profile  should  be  created  underneath  the  data  center.  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   6  

  
 

 
Create  new  
Data  Center   data  center  
Explorer  

  Figure  4:  Assessment  Home    

Creating  a  New  Assessment  or  Selecting  Existing  

From  the  Data  Center  Explorer  click  the  data  center  you  wish  to  assess.  If  you  have  previously  
assessed  your  data  center,  the  profile(s)  will  be  shown  on  the  right  under  DC  Profiles.  Click  Add  
DC  Profile  to  start  a  new  assessment.  DC  Profile  and  assessment  may  be  used  interchangeably.    

 
Figure  5:  DC  Profiles    
 

Completing  an  Assessment  (Sections  1  and  2)  

There  are  three  elements  on  the  main  screen  –  a  list  of  sections  on  the  left  (white  text  on  black),  
a  performance  summary  on  the  right  side  bar,  and  a  Print  Profile  button  on  the  bottom.    

Sections  1  and  2  are  input  sections  and  Sections  3  and  4  are  populated  from  the  data  provided.  
The  performance  summary  includes  the  PUE  estimate  (value)  and  energy  use  distribution  across  
five   standard   end-­‐use   categories   (pie   chart).   Both   elements   are   updated   automatically   as  
questions  are  answered.  Energy  use  distribution  is  also  shown  as  a  percentage  if  you  hover  the  
mouse  over  the  pie  chart.  The  Print  profile  button  will  be  used  when  you  have  completed  the  
assessment  and  wish  to  export  inputs  and  outputs  to  PDF  and/or  Excel.  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   7  

  

 
Figure  6:  Assessment  –  All  Steps  
 

Please  read  the  Information  section  before  starting  Section  1  as  it  provides  guidance  on  how  to  
complete  the  assessment  and  maximize  the  benefits  of  DC  Pro.  A  few  things  to  note:  

• To  move  sections  and  save  your  data  click  Continue,  Next  Section,  or  in  another  section    
• DC  Pro  will  time  out  after  several  minutes  of  inactivity  so  save  your  data  regularly  
• Not  all  questions  are  required  (*),  but  questions  highlighted  yellow  are  needed  for  PUE    
• It  is  recommended  to  answer  as  many  questions  as  possible  to  help  DC  Pro  more  accurately  
profile  your  facility  and  tailor  recommended  tasks  for  improvement    
• Yes/No  questions  default  to  No  for  questions  not  answered    
• Selecting  some  answers  may  open  up  additional  questions  or  close  open  questions  
• When  clicked,  the  question  icons  (?)  display  a  popup  that  explains  in  more  depth  what  the  
question  is  asking    

Section  1  -­‐  Data  Center  General  Information  

Section  1  captures  basic,  but  important  information  about  your  data  center.  The  Profile  Name  
should  be  a  descriptive  name  that  you  associate  with  the  particular  data  center  and  reason  you  
are  profiling.  The  Organization  refers  to  the  company/institution  that  the  data  center  is  part  of.    
Please  choose  the  State/Region  and  County  where  your  data  center  is  located.  Although  the  
information  is  not  technically  required,  it  is  needed  to  automatically  assign  a  climate  zone  and  
estimate  PUE.    

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   8  

 Figure  7:  Data  Center  Information  

The  data  center’s  climate  zone  

will  be  calculated  based  on  the  
State/Region  and  County  inputs.  
DC  Pro  does  not  consider  heating  
or  cooling  loads  related  to  the  
building  envelope  or  outside  air  
since  these  loads  are  small  
compared  to  IT-­‐related  cooling  
load.  The  zone  is  considered  for  
outside  air  treatment  and  the  
heat  rejection  side  of  cooling  
systems  including  economizer  
operation.  For  assistance  in  
selecting  the  most  applicable  
climate  zone  see  Figure  8.   Figure  8:  Climate  Zone  Lookup  Table    

Section  2.1  -­‐  Energy  Use  Systems  -­‐  Energy  Management  

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   Figure  9:  Section  2.1     9  

Section  2.2  -­‐  Energy  Use  Systems  -­‐  IT  Equipment  
 

Figure  10:  Section  2.2  

Section  2.3  -­‐  Energy  Use  Systems  -­‐  Environmental  Conditions    

Air  Temperature  Leaving  the  Cooling  Coils    
Air  temperature  leaving  the  cooling  coils  (supply  air  temperature  -­‐  SAT)  can  be  read  from  
CRAC/CRAH/AHU  display  (if  applicable).  The  next  level  of  accuracy  can  be  obtained  by  using  a  
thermometer  at  the  discharge  of  the  fan  (in  raised  floor  if  that  is  the  case).  For  better  accuracy  
beyond  snapshot  measurements,  a  temporary  or  permanent  continuous  measurement  is  
recommended  to  collect  data  over  a  long  period.  This  can  be  done  using  wired  or  wireless  
temperature  sensors,  local  or  central  data  collection  and  manipulation,  and  a  dedicated  or  
central  dashboard.  An  average  number  should  be  used  if  multiple  CRACs  are  operating.  Make  
sure  that  the  data  from  CRACs  that  are  off  are  not  included  in  the  average.  
 
Air  Temperature  Entering  the  Cooling  Coils  
Air  temperature  entering  the  cooling  coils  (return  air  temperature  -­‐  RAT)  can  be  read  from  
CRAC/CRAH/AHU  display  (if  applicable).  The  next  level  of  accuracy  can  be  obtained  by  using  a  
thermometer  at  the  unit  air  intake.  For  better  accuracy  beyond  snapshot  measurements,  a  
temporary  or  permanent  continuous  measurement  is  recommended.  This  can  be  using  wired  or  
wireless  sensors,  local  or  central  data  collection  and  manipulation,  and  dedicated  or  central  
dashboard.  An  average  number  should  be  used  if  multiple  CRACs  are  operating.  Make  sure  that  
the  data  from  CRACs  that  are  off  are  not  included  in  the  average.  

Active,  Working  Humidification  

DC  Pro  requires  a  “yes”  or  “no”  answer  and  will  assign  efficiency  for  cooling  based  upon  the  
input.  Check  the  unit  to  determine  if  the  humidification  system  is  enabled.  A  water  or  steam  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   10  

connection  is  a  sign  that  the  unit  may  be  equipped  with  an  enabled  humidification  system;  
check  to  see  if  the  water  or  steam  supply  valve  is  open  and  the  unit  display  to  see  if  
humidification  is  enabled.  DC  Pro  does  not  consider  the  potential  for  simultaneous  
humidification  and  dehumidification  by  the  different  CRAC/CRAH  units.  
 
Active,  Working  De-­‐humidification  
DC  Pro  requires  a  “yes”  or  “no”  answer  and  will  assign  efficiency  for  cooling  based  upon  the  
input.  This  function  depends  on  set  points  for  the  temperature  of  the  cooling  medium,  along  
with  data  center  ambient  temperature  and  relative  humidity.  For  example,  if  42°F  chilled  water  
is  used,  de-­‐humidification  naturally  happens  as  long  as  data  center  relative  humidity  is  above  
30%.  Checking  the  dew  point  temperature  at  the  return  and  the  supply  a  few  times  an  hour  will  
also  help  to  detect  if  de-­‐humidification  is  active,  as  well  as  checking  the  control  panel  for  
settings  and  status.  Cooling  units  with  full  de-­‐humidification  capability  will  also  be  equipped  
with  re-­‐heat  coils  using  refrigerant  (hot  gas),  steam,  hot  water,  or  electricity,  located  
downstream  of  the  cooling  coil.  DC  Pro  does  not  consider  the  potential  for  simultaneous  
humidification  and  dehumidification  by  the  different  CRAC/CRAH  units.  

Figure  11:  Section  2.3  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   11  

Section  2.4  -­‐  Energy  Use  Systems  -­‐  Air  Management  

Figure  12:  Section  2.4  

 
CRAC/CRAH/AHU  Free  Cooling  Coil  (Water-­‐Side  Economizer)  
DC  Pro  requires  a  “yes”  or  “no”  answer  and  will  assign  efficiency  for  cooling  based  on  the  
input.  If  you  are  not  sure,  you  may  check  with  the  source  of  the  chilled  water.  Typically,  if  
the  answer  is  yes,  you  may  have  a  heat  exchanger  that  provides  cooling  to  the  chilled  water  
return  using  condenser  (cooling  tower)  water.  For  CRAC  units,  the  “free  cooling”  coil  is  the  
second  coil  in  the  unit  which  is  located  upstream  of  the  DX  coil.  Another  scenario  is  where  
an  additional  cooling  coil,  served  by  condenser  water,  is  located  in  the  unit.    
 
Air-­‐Side  Free  Cooling    (Air-­‐Side  Economizer)  
DC  Pro  requires  a  “yes”  or  “no”  answer  and  will  assign  efficiency  for  cooling  based  on  the  
input.  Typically,  if  the  answer  is  yes,  the  CRAC/CRAH/AHU  units  should  have  the  means  of  
getting  the  air  directly  from  outside  and  the  data  center  should  be  able  to  exhaust  air  
directly  to  the  outside.  Ductwork  or  wall/raised  floor,  or  ceiling  plenums  might  facilitate  the  
airflow.  

   

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   12  

Section  2.5  -­‐  Energy  Use  Systems  -­‐  Cooling  
Options  are  air-­‐cooled  DX,  water-­‐cooled  DX,  evaporative-­‐cooled  DX,  and  chilled  water.  If  there  is  
more  than  one  type  of  cooling  system  serving  the  data  center,  select  the  dominant  one  (the  one  
currently  carrying  the  highest  load).  Based  on  input,  additional  questions  appear.  Except  for  
“Chilled  water”,  the  answer  to  the  secondary  questions  related  to  the  cooling  system  types  does  
not  affect  the  calculations.  Check  the  site  and  drawings  to  understand  what  type  of  cooling  
exists.  

Figure  13:  Section  2.5  

 
Chiller  type    
If  chilled  water  is  selected  as  the  cooling  system  type,  then  two  more  questions  appear.  The  first  
is  chiller  type.  If  air-­‐cooled  is  selected,  no  more  questions  will  appear.  Check  the  site  and  
drawings  to  understand  what  type  of  chiller  exists.  If  water-­‐cooled  chiller  is  selected  then  one  
additional  question,  water-­‐side  economizer,  appears.  
 
Chilled  Water  Supply  Temperature  
As  was  mentioned,  when  chilled  water  is  selected  for  cooling  system  type,  two  more  questions  
appear.  The  first  is  chiller  type  (discussed  above).  The  second  question  addresses  the  chilled  
water  supply  temperature  (CHWST).  The  display  on  the  chiller  is  a  source  for  the  CHWST  data.  
Another  option  is  installing  temperature  sensors  anywhere  in  the  CHWS  pipe.  Again,  an  average  
taken  over  a  period  of  time  is  strongly  recommended  in  the  absence  of  continuous  monitoring.  
The  higher  the  CHWST,  the  better  the  chiller  efficiency.  
 
Water-­‐side  Economizer  
If  water-­‐cooled  chiller  is  selected  for  chiller  type,  then  another  waterside  economizer  question  
appears.  The  options  for  answering  this  question  are:  none,  integrated,  or  non-­‐integrated.  DC  
Pro  will  assign  different  efficiency  for  cooling  based  on  this  input.  If  unsure  of  this  answer,  
examine  the  chilled  water  system.  Generally,  the  system  will  have  a  heat  exchanger  that  cools  
the  chilled  water  return  using  condenser  water.  An  integrated  economizer  is  when  the  heat  
exchanger  is  installed  in  series  with  the  chiller  (on  the  chilled  water  side).  It  is  always  on  line  so  it  
can  operate  to  lower  the  compressor  load  as  long  as  the  condenser  water  is  cooler  than  CHWR.  
A  non-­‐integrated  system  has  the  heat  exchanger  installed  parallel  to  the  chiller  so  there  are  only  
two  states  of  operation  (on  or  off).  That  means  either  the  chiller(s)  is  providing  cooling  or  the  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   13  

heat  exchanger  but  not  both  concurrently.  Check  the  site  and/or  drawings  to  understand  what  
type  of  economizer  exists.  

Section  2.6  -­‐  Energy  Use  Systems  -­‐  IT  Equipment  Power  Chain  
To  see  if  there  is  an  Uninterruptible  Power  Supply  (UPS),  check  the  unit  on  site  or  review  the  
drawings.  DC  Pro  assigns  no  additional  electrical  recommendations  based  on  “no”  as  answer  to  
the  UPS  question.  A  “yes”  answer  will  cause  four  more  questions  to  appear  (listed  below).    

  Figure  14:  Section  2.6  

 
• UPS  Type:  Observe  on  site  or/and  review  equipment  data  sheets.  There  is  little  impact  on  
PUE  since  efficiencies  of  these  four  types  of  UPS  are  considered  close.  The  efficiency  of  a  
rotary  UPS  is  considered  a  little  higher.  
 
• UPS  Module  Size  (kVA):  Read  the  size  from  the  unit  data  sheet  or  the  unit  template.  
Different  sizes  of  UPS  generally  exhibit  different  efficiencies.  
 
• UPS  Voltage:  Read  the  voltage  from  the  unit  data  sheet  or  the  unit  template.  The  efficiency  
of  480-­‐volt  systems  is  considered  to  be  about  1%  higher  than  208-­‐volt  units.  
 
• Average  load  factor  per  active  UPS  module:  Load  factor  is  the  power  output  of  the  UPS  
divided  by  the  capacity  of  the  UPS.  It  has  the  most  impact  on  the  PUE  within  the  electrical  
distribution  parameter  since  efficiencies  typically  are  lower  at  lower  load  factors.  The  actual  
output  can  often  be  read  from  the  unit  display  and  the  load  factor  can  be  calculated  once  
the  unit’s  capacity  is  known.  The  other  option  is  to  install  power  meter(s)  and  obtain  
continuous  measurement.  In  calculating  the  load  factor,  when  there  are  UPSs  with  different  
capacity,  a  weighting  factor  should  be  considered.  For  example  if,  in  the  same  data  center,  a  
300KVA  UPS  is  loaded  at  40%  and  a  600KVA  UPS  is  loaded  at  20%,  the  average  load  factor  is  
26%  and  not  30%.  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   14  

Section  2.7  -­‐  Energy  Use  Systems  -­‐  Lighting  

  Figure  15:  Section  2.7  

Results  and  Recommended  Tasks  (Sections  3  and  4)  

Based  on  how  the  questions  were  answered  in  Section  1  and  Section  2,  DC  Pro  populates  
Section  3  and  Section  4.  As  mentioned  previously,  it  is  recommended  to  answer  as  many  
questions  as  possible  to  help  DC  Pro  more  accurately  profile  your  facility  and  tailor  
recommended  tasks  for  improvement.  Yes/No  questions  also  default  to  No  for  questions  not  
answered.    

Section  3  -­‐  Results  

DC  Pro  estimates  the  data  center’s  current  PUE  and  energy  use  distribution.  It  also  estimates  the  
potential  PUE  and  potential  energy  use  distribution  from  implementing  “all”  the  recommended  
energy  efficiency  tasks  outlined  in  Section  4.  

Figure  16:  Section  3  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   15  

Section  4  –  Recommended  Tasks  
Tailored  recommendations  on  how  to  increase  energy  efficiency  in  your  data  center  are  
provided  and  are  a  great  starting  point  for  an  improvement  process.  Recommendations  cover  
the  following  end-­‐
uses  categories:  

• IT  Equipment  
• Environmental  
Conditions  
• Air  
Management  
• Cooling  
• IT  Equipment  
Power  Chain  
• Lighting  
• Energy  
Management  
Measures   Figure  17:  Section  4  

• Global  Actions    

The  recommended  tasks  are  based  on  the  Data  Center  Master  List  of  Energy  Efficiency  Actions,  a  
document  maintained  by  Lawrence  Berkeley  National  Laboratory.  The  Master  List  can  be  
accessed  on  the  CoE  website:  datacenters.lbl.gov/resources/data-­‐center-­‐master-­‐list-­‐energy  

Exporting/Printing  an  Assessment  

By  clicking  Print  Profile  at  the  bottom  left  of  the  main  screen  you  are  taken  to  a  summary  page  
that  combines  the  results,  recommended  tasks,  and  user  input.  The  summary  page  can  be  
exported  to  PDF  by  clicking  Save  to  PDF  or  to  Excel  by  clicking  Export  Results  to  Excel.  Examples  
are  provided  on  the  next  page,  Figure  19.  
 
To  access  this  summary  page  and  export  after  the  initial  assessment,  click  the  data  center  from  
the  Data  Center  Explorer  then  selecting  the  “arrow”  icon  for  the  DC  Profile  you  are  interested  in.  
   

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   16  

  

Figure  19:  PDF  and  Excel  Examples  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   17  

Full  List  of  Questions  
Below  is  a  checklist  of  questions  to  be  answered  for  DC  Pro  Steps  1  and  2.  Questions  that  are  
mandatory  to  answer  are  indicated  with  a  red  asterisk  (only  for  Section  1).  Questions  that  
impact  the  PUE  calculation  are  identified  by  yellow  highlights.  Questions  that  require  certain  
answers  from  a  previous  question  are  noted  in  blue.    

 
Step  1  
General  Information  

Profile  Name*   Enter  name  

Organization*   Enter  name  

Climate  Zone  (Asked  only  if  you  check  the  toggle  switch  on   Select  from  the  List  
the  right  of  Address)  

State/Region   Select  from  the  list  of  States  

County   Select  from  the  list  of  Counties  for  each  State  

Data  Center  Class*   Select  from  the  list:  A1,  A2,  A3,  A4,  B,  C  

Step  2  

Energy  Management  

Has  an  energy  audit  been  conducted  within  the  last   Yes  or  No  
2  years?  

Is  there  a  written  energy  management  plan?   Yes  or  No  

Is  there  an  energy  manager  directly  responsible  for   Yes  or  No  
the  energy  management  plan?  (Only  asked  if  you  have  an  
energy  management  plan)  

Has  upper  management  accepted  the  energy   Yes  or  No  

management  plan?  (Only  asked  if  you  have  an  energy  
management  plan)  

Is  there  an  energy  measurement  and  calibration   Yes  or  No  

program  in  place?  

Is  there  a  preventative  maintenance  program  in   Yes  or  No  

place?  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   18  

IT  Equipment  

Do  you  measure  and  track  IT  equipment  (storage,   Yes  or  No  
server  &  network)  utilization?  

Do  you  have  a  process  for  identifying   Yes  or  No  

abandoned/un-­‐used  servers  and  taking  them  
offline?  

What  is  the  average  age  at  which  you  replace  your   Select  from  the  list:  0-­‐2yrs,  3yrs,  4yrs,  or  5+  years  
servers  

Are  you  using  virtualization  to  consolidate  your   Yes  or  No  
server  workloads?  

How  extensive  is  your  storage  consolidation?   Select  from  the  list:  0%,  1%  to  50%,  51%  to  99%,  or  
100%  

What  storage  tiers  have  you  implemented?  (mark   Select  from  the  list:  More  than  one  production  tier,  
all  that  apply)   Archiving  tier,  Near-­‐line  storage  

Have  you  implemented  storage  optimization   Yes  or  No  

techniques  such  as  thin  provisioning,  incremental  
snapshots,  or  de-­‐duplication?  

Environmental  Conditions  

What  is  the  typical  (average)  air  temperature   Select  from  the  list:  55  F  (13  C),  60  F  (16  C),  65  F  (18  
leaving  the  cooling  coils  (supply)?   C),  70  F  (21  C),  75  F  (24  C),  80  F  (27  C),  85  F  (29  C),  
90  F  (32  C),  95  F  (35  C),  100  F  (38  C),  105  F  (41  C),  
110  F  (43  C),  115  F  (48  C),  or  >115  F  (>48  C)  

What  is  the  typical  (average)  air  temperature   Select  from  the  list:  55  F  (13  C),  60  F  (16  C),  65  F  (18  
entering  the  cooling  coils  (return)?   C),  70  F  (21  C),  75  F  (24  C),  80  F  (27  C),  85  F  (29  C),  
90  F  (32  C),  95  F  (35  C),  100  F  (38  C),  105  F  (41  C),  
110  F  (43  C),  115  F  (48  C),  120  F  (49  C),  125  F  (52  C),  
130  F  (54  C),  135  F  (57  C),  140  F  (60  C),  or  >140  F  
(>60  C)  

What  is  the  typical  (average)  IT  equipment  intake   Select  from  the  list:  55  F  (13  C),  60  F  (16  C),  65  F  (18  
air  temperature?   C),  70  F  (21  C),  75  F  (24  C),  80  F  (27  C),  85  F  (29  C),  
90  F  (32  C),  95  F  (35  C),  100  F  (38  C),  105  F  (41  C),  
110  F  (43  C),  115  F  (48  C),  or  >115  F  (>48  C)  

What  is  the  typical  (average)  IT  equipment  exhaust   Select  from  the  list:  55  F  (13  C),  60  F  (16  C),  65  F  (18  
air  temperature?   C),  70  F  (21  C),  75  F  (24  C),  80  F  (27  C),  85  F  (29  C),  
90  F  (32  C),  95  F  (35  C),  100  F  (38  C),  105  F  (41  C),  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   19  

 110  F  (43  C),  115  F  (48  C),  120  F  (49  C),  125  F  (52  C),  
130  F  (54  C),  135  F  (57  C),  140  F  (60  C),  145  F  (63  C),  
150  F  (66  C),  155  F  (68  C),  160  F  (71  C),  165  F  (74C),  
170  F  (77  C),  175  F,  (79  C),  180  F  (82  C),  or  >180  F  
(>82  C)  

Adopted  IT  Intake  Air  Temperature  Maximum   Select  from  the  list:  65  F  (18  C),  70  F  (21  C),  75  F  (24  
C),  80  F  (27  C),  85  F  (29  C),  90  F  (32  C),  95  F  (35  C),  
100  F  (38  C),  105  F  (41  C),  110  F  (43  C),  115  F  (48  C),  
or  >115  F  (>48  C)  

Do  the  readings  from  cooling  system  temperature   Yes  or  No  

sensors  represent  the  IT  equipment  intake  air  
conditions?  

Does  your  air  management  scheme,  your   Yes  or  No  

economizing  system  (if  present),  and  your  IT  
equipment  allow  your  data  center  to  operate  near  
the  ASHRAE  max  Recommended  IT  equipment  
intake  temperature,  and  occasionally  between  the  
ASHRAE  max  Recommended  and  max  Allowable  
intake  temperature  (per  your  data  center  Class)  
during  100%  mechanical  cooling?  

Do  you  have  active,  working  humidification   Yes  or  No  

controls?  

What  type  of  humidifier  do  you  have?  (Only  asked  if   Select  from  the  list:  Electric  Resistance  
you  have  active,  working  humidification  controls)   Heating/Infrared  Lights,  Steam  from  Boiler,  Direct  
Evaporation,  or  Ultrasonic  

Do  you  have  active,  working  dehumidification   Yes  or  No  

controls?  

Is  there  a  continuous  source  of  outside  air  admitted   Yes  or  No  
to  the  data  center  for  ventilation?  (Only  asked  if  you  
either  have  active,  working  humidification  or  dehumidification  
controls)  

Humidity  control  sensor  location?  (Only  asked  if  you   Select  from  the  list:  Outside  Air  Stream  Only,  
have  a  continuous  source  of  outside  air  for  ventilation)   Recirculation  Air  Stream  Only,  or  Outside  Air  
Stream  and  Recirculation  Air  Stream  

Are  the  current  cooling  system  high  and/or  low   Yes  or  No  
humidity  limit  setpoints  for  the  IT  intake  air  tighter  
than  the  ASHRAE  recommended  limits  for  your  
data  center  Class?  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   20  

Do  CRAC/H  units  have  centralized  (networked)  or   Select  from  the  list:  Centralized  or  Distributed  
distributed  controls?  

Are  CRAC/Hs  fighting  each  other  (for  example,   Yes  or  No  
simultaneously  humidifying  and  dehumidifying)?  

Do  the  cooling  system  controls  allow  you  to  apply   Yes  or  No  
correction  factors  (Slope  and  Offset)  to  the  signals  
from  the  temperature  and  humidity  sensors?  

Air  Management  

Can  your  adopted  Recommended  IT  equipment   Yes  or  No  

intake  air  condition  be  maintained  if  you  turn  off  
one  or  more  selected  CRAC/H  units?  

Is  there  any  supplemental  cooling?   Select  from  the  list:  None,  In-­‐Row,  Modular,  
Overhead,  Rear-­‐Door,  or  Liquid-­‐Cooled  Cabinet  

Does  the  CRAC/CRAH/AHU  have  a  free  cooling  coil   Yes  or  No  
(water  side  economizer)?  

Is  there  air-­‐side  free  cooling?   Yes  or  No  

Air  Supply  Path   Select  from  the  list:  Overhead  Ducts,  Overhead  
Plenum,  Underfloor  Plenum,  In-­‐Row,  Free  

Is  there  a  floor-­‐tightness  (sealing  leaks)  program  in   Yes  or  No  

place?  (Only  asked  if  you  employ  an  Underfloor  Plenum  as  your  
Air  Supply  Path)  

Degree  of  sealing  for  cable  penetrations?  (Only  asked   Select  from  the  list:  Poor  to  None,  Fair,  Good  
if  you  employ  Overhead  Plenum,  Underfloor  Plenum,  In-­‐Row,  or  
Free  as  your  Air  Supply  Path)  

Is  the  cable  build-­‐up  in  the  floor  plenum  or  the   Yes  or  No  
over-­‐head  plenum  more  than  1/3  of  the  plenum  
height?  (Only  asked  if  you  employ  an  Overhead  Plenum  or  
Underfloor  Plenum  as  your  Air  Supply  Path)  

Is  there  a  program  in  place  for  regularly  managing   Yes  or  No  
cables  to  allow  unobstructed  air  flow?  (Only  asked  if  
you  employ  an  Overhead  Plenum  or  Underfloor  Plenum  as  your  
Air  Supply  Path)  

Degree  that  IT  equipment  is  arranged  in  rows?   Select  from  the  list:  Poor  to  None,  Fair,  Good  

Is  there  a  rack/lineup-­‐tightness  (using  blanking   Yes  or  No  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   21  

panels)  program  in  place?  (Only  asked  if  your  IT  
equipment  row  arrangement  is  Fair  or  Good)  

Degree  of  current  implementation  of  alternating   Select  from  the  list:  Poor  to  None,  Fair,  Good  
hot  and  cold  aisles?  (Only  asked  if  your  IT  equipment  row  
arrangement  is  Fair  or  Good)  

Degree  that  blanking  panels  are  in  place?  (Only  asked   Select  from  the  list:  Poor  to  None,  Fair,  Good  
if  your  alternation  of  hot  and  cold  aisles  is  Fair  or  Good)  

Where  is  the  supply  placed?  (Only  asked  if  your   Select  from  the  list:  Cold  Aisles  Only,  Hot  Aisles  
alternation  of  hot  and  cold  aisles  is  Fair  or  Good)   Only,  Hot  and  Cold  Aisles,  Not  Applicable  

Is  there  a  diffuser/tile-­‐location  (to  conserve  hot  and   Yes  or  No  

cold  aisles)  program  in  place?  (Only  asked  if  your  
alternation  of  hot  and  cold  aisles  is  Fair  or  Good)  

Degree  to  which  hot  and  cold  aisles  are  currently   Select  from  the  list:  Poor  to  None,  Fair,  Good  
fully  enclosed?  (Only  asked  if  your  alternation  of  hot  and  
cold  aisles  is  Fair  or  Good)  

What  kind  of  supply  fans  are  in  use?   Select  from  the  list:  Constant  Speed,  Equipped  with  
VSD  

Do  some  areas  of  the  data  center  have  load   Yes  or  No  
densities  that  are  more  than  4  times  the  average  
load  density?  

Is  the  air-­‐delivery  system  balanced  to  ensure   Yes  or  No  

correct  airflow  rates?  

Is  there  an  air-­‐balancing  (allow  proper  airflow   Yes  or  No  

distribution)  program  in  place?  

Cooling  

Cooling  System  Type?   Select  from  the  list:  Air-­‐Cooled  DX,  Water-­‐Cooled  
DX,  Evaporatively-­‐Cooled  DX,  or  Chilled  Water  

Condenser  cooling  system  (Only  asked  if  your  Cooling   Select  from  the  list:  Cooling  Tower,  Dry  Cooler  
System  is  Water-­‐Cooled  DX)  

Chiller  Type  (Only  asked  if  your  Cooling  System  is  Chilled   Select  from  the  list:  Air-­‐Cooled,  Water-­‐Cooled  
Water)  

Chilled  Water  Supply  Temperature  (Only  asked  if  your   Select  from  the  list:  45F  (7C),  50F  (10C),  55F  (13C)  
Cooling  System  is  Chilled  Water)  

Water-­‐side  Economizer  (Only  asked  if  Water-­‐Cooled  is   Select  from  the  list:  None,  Integrated,  or  Non-­‐

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   22  

your  Chiller  Type)   Integrated  

Cooling  tower  fan  control  (Only  asked  if  you  answer   Select  from  the  list:  Fixed  Speed,  Two-­‐Speed  
Cooling  Tower  for  your  Condenser  Cooling  System  or  Water-­‐ Motor,  Variable  Speed  Drive  
Cooled  for  your  Chiller  Type)  

Type  of  Valves  (Only  asked  if  your  Cooling  System  is  Chilled   Select  from  the  list:  2-­‐Way,  3-­‐Way  
Water)  

Do  you  have  premium  efficiency  motors  on  all   Yes  or  No  
cooling  supply  fans,  pumps,  and  cooling  towers  
that  serve  the  data  center?  

What  is  the  redundancy  level  for  the  HVAC   Select  from  the  list:  N,  N+1,  Exceeds  N+1,  2N  
systems?  

IT  Equipment  Power  Chain  

Is  there  an  Uninterruptible  Power  Supply  (UPS)?   Yes  or  No  

UPS  Technology  Type  (Only  asked  if  you  have  a  UPS)   Select  from  the  list:  Double  Conversion,  Double  
Conversion  +  Filter,  Delta  Conversion,  Rotary  

UPS  Size  (kVA)  (Only  asked  if  you  have  a  UPS)   Select  from  the  list:  50,  100,  150,  225,  300,  400,  
500,  600,  750,  800,  900,  100  

UPS  Voltage  (Only  asked  if  you  have  a  UPS)   Select  from  the  list:  480,  208  

What  is  the  average  load  factor  per  active  UPS   Select  from  the  list:  1%  to  10%,  11%  to  20%,  21%  
module?  (Only  asked  if  you  have  a  UPS)   to  30%,  31%  to  40%,  41%  to  50%,  51%  to  60%,  61%  
to  70%,  71%  to  80%,  81%  to  90%,  91%  to  100%  

UPS  Redundancy  Configuration  (Only  asked  if  you  have  a   Select  from  the  list:  N,  N+1,  2N  
UPS)  

Is  there  a  standby  generator?   Yes  or  No  

Standby  Generator  Power  Configuration  (Only  asked  if   Select  from  the  list:  N,  N+1,  2N  
you  have  a  standby  generator)  

Is  there  a  generator  block  heater?  (Only  asked  if  you   Yes  or  No  
have  a  standby  generator)  

Is  there  a  thermostat  on  the  generator  block   Yes  or  No  

heater?  (Only  asked  if  you  have  a  generator  block  heater)  

Are  there  PDUs  with  built-­‐in  transformers?   Yes  or  No  

What  are  the  types  of  MV  and  LV  transformers?   Select  from  the  list:  Temp  rise  80C,  Temp  rise  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   23  

(Only  asked  if  you  have  PDUs  with  built-­‐in  transformers)   >80C,  TP1,  EPACT  2005  

Average  Load  Factor  per  Active   Select  from  the  list:  0%  to  24%,  25%  to  49%,  50%  
PDUs/Transformers?  (Only  asked  if  you  have  PDUs  with   to  100%  
built-­‐in  transformers)  

What  is  the  load  imbalance  between  phases?  (Only   Select  from  the  list:  ≤  20%,  >  20%  
asked  if  you  have  PDUs  with  built-­‐in  transformers)  

Lighting  

Lighting  Type   Select  from  the  list:  Fluorescent,  LED,  Other  

What  type  of  lamps  are  used?  (Only  asked  if  you  have   Select  from  the  list:  T-­‐12,  T-­‐8,  or  T-­‐5  
Fluorescent  lights)  

What  type  of  ballasts  are  used?  (Only  asked  if  you  have   Select  from  the  list:  Magnetic,  Electronic  
Fluorescent  lights)  

How  are  the  lights  controlled?   Select  from  the  list:  Hard-­‐Wired,  Manual  Wall  
Switch,  Occupancy  Sensor,  Timer  

PUE  Calculation  Method  

DC  Pro  takes  user’s  inputs  and  refers  to  look-­‐up  tables  to  estimate  data  center  energy  
distribution  and  PUE.  The  energy  use  breakouts  are  defined  only  in  terms  of  percentages  -­‐  there  
is  no  reference  to  energy  type  (electricity,  fuel,  other).  The  model  assumes  a  completely  
homogenous  data  center.  For  example:  

• Many  real  world  data  centers  have  more  than  one  type  of  cooling  system  serving  a  
single  data  center  space.  The  model  assumes  there  is  only  one  type.  
• Real  world  data  centers  are  often  a  mix  of  row  configurations,  rack  types,  IT  equipment  
types,  air  management  schemes,  high-­‐density  areas,  and  low-­‐density  areas.  The  model  
assumes  the  data  center  space  is  uniform  in  regards  to  these  parameters.  
• The  model  assumes  that  the  temperature  of  the  air  leaving  the  cooling  coils  is  the  same  
at  every  coil,  and  the  air  temperature  entering  the  cooling  coils  is  the  same  at  every  coil.  

The  calculation  method  contains  four  lookup  tables,  described  below  and  illustrated  in  Figure  
20.  

Constants:  Electrical  distribution  loss  (excluding  UPS)  is  assumed  to  be  2%  of  total  IT  load.  
Lighting  is  assumed  to  be  1%  of  total  IT  load.  It  also  assumes  that  IT  load  is  the  same  24/7.  If  
your  data  center  information  is  different,  then  corrections  should  be  made  to  the  results  from  
the  PUE  Estimator.  

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   24  

Climate  zone:  Climate  Zone  can  be  entered  directly  or  the  PUE  Estimator  can  choose  based  on  
location  of  the  site.  This  is  an  input  to  the  cooling  system  look-­‐up  table.    

UPS  loss:  UPS  loss  has  its  own  look-­‐up  table  and  the  result  is  an  input  to  the  cooling  system  look-­‐
up  table  and  normalizing  calculation.    

Cooling  system  energy:  Based  on  cooling  inputs,  the  table  produces  two  inputs  to  the  
normalizing  calculation:  one  is  cooling  energy  and  the  other  is  fan  energy,  both  expressed  as  a  
percentage  of  IT  load.  Energy  use  distribution  is  then  calculated,  and  these  are  used  in  the  PUE  
calculation.  

For  more  information  on  how  PUE  is  estimated,  please  see  the  Calculation  Reference  Manual:  
datacenters.lbl.gov/resources/dc-­‐pro-­‐tools-­‐calculation-­‐reference  

Figure  20:  PUE  Calculation  Method  Flow  Chart  

 

DC  Pro  User’s  Manual   25