As demand for data centers continues to accelerate, so does the pressure to build smarter, more efficient infrastructure. Owners and operators are constantly evaluating new strategies to reduce energy consumption, improve performance, and meet increasingly aggressive sustainability goals.
One approach that has gained significant traction is “free cooling”, a method that leverages outside air or water conditions to reduce reliance on traditional mechanical cooling systems. On the surface, it offers a compelling opportunity for efficiency and cost savings.
But as more projects push into regions with extreme and unpredictable climates, the reality becomes more complex.
At McGough, we’ve seen firsthand that implementing free cooling isn’t just a design decision—it’s an operational commitment. From system sizing and redundancy to performance at temperature extremes, success depends on how well teams plan for conditions that fall outside the norm.
In this piece, Dylan explores what it really takes to design and operate free cooling systems at the edge of climate extremes—and why experience in the field is critical to getting it right.
