In recent years, the rapid development of artificial intelligence and large-scale models has made data centers indispensable. As heat density continues to rise, energy efficiency has become an increasingly pressing issue. According to a 2023 report by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. data centers already consume about 4.4% of national electricity, and this proportion is projected to reach 6.7%–12% by 2028, posing unprecedented challenges to the power grid. Traditional data centers, however, face long construction cycles, high initial and maintenance costs, and limited scalability. In contrast, containerized data centers, like Lego blocks, are modular and ready-to-use.

Key Factors for Building a High-Efficiency Container Data Center

With growing computing demands, container data centers are entering the mainstream. Their advantages are clear: fast deployment, flexible investment, and on-demand scalability. Yet a very real challenge remains—energy efficiency. Uncontrolled power consumption could turn a container data center from a “cost-saving tool” into a “power-hungry facility.” Therefore, high-efficiency design is critical.

When evaluating high-efficiency container data centers, focus on these core dimensions:

• Lower energy costs: Not just electricity bills, but energy conversion efficiency and losses.

• Reduced cooling expenses: Cooling systems are the largest power consumers and must be optimized during design.

• Extended equipment lifespan: Proper temperature control and stable power improve durability.

• Flexible deployment and rapid delivery: Standardized modules reduce redundant construction and avoid wasted resources.

These factors complement each other and collectively determine whether a data center is truly high-efficiency.

Efficient Rack and Layout Design

Space design is the first step in improving energy efficiency. Many focus solely on hardware performance while neglecting cabinet layout. Improper layout often directly leads to low cooling efficiency and higher power consumption.

• Space optimization: Proper rack arrangement prevents hot and cold air mixing, enhancing cooling efficiency. Cold and hot aisle containment has become standard, with some vendors using fully enclosed aisles to further reduce energy loss.

• Modular expansion: Instead of installing a large number of racks at once, expand on-demand to avoid idle equipment. Modular design saves space and reduces wasted energy.

• Optimized power and network cabling: Short, low-loss power paths reduce energy waste and heat generation.

Advanced Cooling and Thermal Management

Cooling systems are often the largest energy expenditure in a data center. Optimizing cooling is therefore a key breakthrough for energy efficiency.

• Liquid cooling and air cooling: Air cooling is simple but limited in high-density scenarios; liquid cooling has higher upfront costs but delivers significant efficiency in high-density environments. Tests by MHI, KDDI, and NEC show that immersion-cooled container data centers can reduce cooling energy consumption by up to 90% compared to traditional air-cooled systems.

• Use of natural cooling sources: Data centers in cold regions can leverage outside air for significant energy savings. “Free cooling” is increasingly being adopted in modern deployments.

• Heat recovery and reuse: Waste heat from equipment can be reused for building heating or industrial hot water through heat exchange systems, achieving secondary energy utilization.

Energy Efficiency Metrics and Monitoring

Without data, optimization is impossible. Energy efficiency metrics and monitoring systems serve as the dashboard for managing efficiency.

• PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness): The most common metric, showing the ratio of total facility power to IT equipment power. Closer to 1 means higher efficiency.

• Intelligent monitoring and real-time operations: Manual inspections are insufficient. Using smart sensors and AI platforms, operators can monitor energy consumption in real time and dynamically adjust operations to prevent issues before they occur.

How Our Solution Achieves High-Efficiency Container Data Centers

At ATTOM, our Container Data Center Solutions (AgileCub, AgileCore) integrate multiple technologies and design innovations to enhance energy efficiency and reduce costs. Our design team focuses on every detail:

• 35% more IT rack space: Allows higher-density rack layout while retaining maintenance space and operational convenience.

• Advanced cooling system: Cold-aisle containment, high-efficiency inverter compressors, and EC fans, with support for natural/free cooling, reduce energy consumption by approximately 25% compared to traditional systems.

• Factory pre-assembly and fully modular delivery: Only rapid on-site installation and connection are required, greatly shortening construction cycles.

Whether building edge nodes, AI training centers, or deploying computing power in remote locations, ATTOM’s container data centers provide a complete one-stop solution:

“Design → Manufacture → Transport → Deploy → Operate”, allowing you to achieve maximum business benefits with the highest energy efficiency.