Latest news with #Aligned
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Aligned Data Centers Debuts Advanced Cooling Lab to Further Accelerate Cooling Technology Innovation for Next-Gen GPUs
DALLAS , June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aligned Data Centers, a leading technology infrastructure company offering innovative, sustainable and adaptive Scale Data Centers and Build-to-Scale solutions for global hyperscale, AI / HPC, and enterprise customers, announces the launch of its new Advanced Cooling Lab. The lab is dedicated to testing and innovating Aligned's flexible design and patented and patent-pending air and liquid cooling solutions to continue to master the thermal demands of the densest Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and emerging AI accelerators. Aligned's Phoenix-based Advanced Cooling Lab serves as a vital hub for innovation, dedicated to promoting hybrid cooling environments and pushing the boundaries of data center infrastructure. It showcases Aligned's infrastructure solutions with the ability to handle the demanding needs of advanced compute systems. This responsiveness is directly enabled by the synergy of Aligned's patented and award-winning Delta Cube™ air-cooled system and patent-pending DeltaFlow~™ liquid-cooled system. By efficiently removing the intense heat from GPUs and AI accelerators, the system ensures customers have the instant capacity and performance needed for the most demanding AI and HPC workloads of today and tomorrow. 'Aligned has been innovating data center cooling for more than a decade,' says Michael Welch, Chief Technology Officer at Aligned Data Centers. 'The Advanced Cooling Lab is a testament to our commitment to delivering cutting-edge data center solutions and our passion for innovation. By investing in research and development, we can continue to provide our customers with the most flexible and advanced infrastructure available, capable of handling the dynamic demands of AI workloads.' Aligned's Advanced Cooling Lab features both Delta Cubes and DeltaFlows~ to create a true hybrid cooling environment. The lab also showcases the power of Aligned's Adaptive Modular Infrastructure (AMI), flexible design, and the synergy of its cooling systems. It illustrates the dynamic capability to transition from air-cooled to liquid-cooled systems in the same data hall as IT densities grow, ensuring future-proof asset and IT investments. Discover how Aligned is revolutionizing data center cooling and delivering the power and flexibility needed for today's high-performance computing: About Aligned Data Centers Aligned Data Centers is a leading technology infrastructure company offering innovative, sustainable, and adaptive Scale Data Centers and Build-to-Scale solutions for global hyperscale and enterprise customers. Our intelligent infrastructure allows densification and vertical growth within the same footprint, enabling customers to scale up without disruption, all while maintaining industry-leading Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). By reducing the energy, water and space needed to operate, our data center solutions, combined with our patented cooling technology, offer businesses a competitive advantage by improving sustainability, reliability, and their bottom line. For more information, visit and connect with us on X, LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook. Press and Analyst Inquiries Jennifer Handshew for Aligned Data Centers [email protected] +1 (917) 359-8838 A video accompanying this announcement is available at
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Planners approve additional data center buildings, with acoustic conditions
The Frederick County Planning Commission has approved the site plan for three more buildings on the Aligned Data Centers project, with limits on noise. The Aligned Critical Digital Infrastructure Facility features four buildings and an energy transformer yard on 74.89 acres near Adamstown. The Frederick County Planning Commission approved the first data center building in May 2023 and the transformer substation in March 2025, according to county records. Building 1 will occupy the southern-most location on the site, followed in order by Buildings 2, 3 and 4 heading north, according to county records. Buildings 2, 3 and 4 total 1.15-million square feet. The commission approved the submitted plan unanimously on Wednesday with the following additions: a 22-foot-tall concrete wall enclosing Building 3, as well as along the east sides of the generator yards for Buildings 2 and 4. Sound concerns The data centers are 24-hour-a-day operations, requiring significant infrastructure to cool machines and have backup power available. Jessica Baker, technical program manager for Aligned, said generators for the site planned for a worst-case scenario — total power loss — an outcome that has been 'very few and far between' at other locations. 'Most of our sites, we very rarely see the generators run outside of monthly testing,' Baker said. Emily Piersol — an acoustics consultant with Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon, and Williams, an international design and consulting firm with corporate offices based in Carrollton, Texas — said the acoustic report her team performed considered 84 rooftop chillers per building for Buildings 1, 2 and 3 and 56 rooftop chillers for Building 4. Baker said it is standard for Aligned to have chillers on the roof and generators at the ground level. The plan was for 164 generators on site between the four buildings, according to Piersol. She said her team analyzed the three step-down transformers within the transformer yard portion of the substation, as well. Planning Commissioner Carole Sepe said she remembered screening required for acoustics from the Building 1 plans, but saw no concrete panels in the drawings for the three additional buildings. 'Where's the concrete panel screening?' she asked. She said the plans as she read them included mainly chain-link fence or perforated screens, with concrete only included in one partially screened section. 'All the generators should be closed, not with just a metal fence,' Sepe said. 'The only thing that should be open is just the access to it.' Sepe said she was not concerned about the buildings, but about the fenced generator yards. Baker said she agreed with Sepe's concerns about how the concrete walls were not clear enough in the presented plans. Piersol said her model factored in a concrete screening wall south of Building 1; a chain-link fence between Buildings 1 and 2; visual screening by the loading docks; and visual screening with 'acoustical properties' north of Building 4. She said that noise is measured not at the property boundary, but at the nearest agricultural property near the intersection of Ballenger Creek Pike and Manor Woods Road. Piersol said the analysis found the sound levels on the east and west sides of Building 2 would be 70 A-weighted decibels — the limit for industrial uses — and thus did not require sound screening. She said the study considered a 22-foot concrete screening wall around the generator yard by Building 3, between the building and transformers. Piersol said the noise by the generator yard at Building 4 was less than 70 dBA and thus did not require screening walls. She said the difference came down to the fact that the physical building screens the noise from the generators at Building 4, but not Building 3. Additionally, Baker said the walls along the east could be designed to have aesthetic qualities in addition to sound-dampening ones. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS Access to the site will come from Manor Woods Road until Quantum Place South is opened to traffic, with the goal of being able to build each building in phases through the secure access point to the site, according to the records. The plan called for 226 parking spaces, when only 90 were required by code, according to county records. Part of that offsets the proposed six large loading spaces when 115 were required. This was due to the expectation that there will be less pedestrian movement because it's a secure facility, according to the records. Baker said this parking arrangement better served shift changes for workers of a 24-hour-a-day facility. Additionally, the plan calls for 10 bike racks and 20 total spaces, meeting county standard. The racks will be uncovered, according to Graham Hubbard, a planner for the county. Baker said she was open to discussing bike rack protections, to encourage alternative commutes to the site. Hubbard said the lighting plan for the three additional buildings would be the same as the previously approved for Building 1. Graham Cannady, project manager for Corgan, a Dallas, Texas based architectural firm, said his firm was not the original architect of the project but would gladly incorporate rooftop screening to ensure continuity throughout the project. 'Same thing goes with the yard screening,' he said. 'If that is required, we will gladly add the additional screening if necessary in lieu of chain-link.' Following a question from Planning Commisioner Sam Tressler III, Baker said it would be possible to finish all four buildings by 2028. 'Market conditions and customer demand drive what that ends up looking like,' she said. Baker said Aligned already has an end user lined up for Building 1.
Associated Press
08-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Aligned Data Centers Announces the Appointment of Billie Haggard as Chief Facility Operations Officer
DALLAS, April 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aligned Data Centers, a leading technology infrastructure company offering innovative, sustainable and adaptive Scale Data Centers and Build-to-Scale solutions for global hyperscale and enterprise customers, today announced the appointment of Billie Haggard as Chief Facility Operations Officer (CFOO). Mr. Haggard was promoted from his previous role of Executive Vice President of Operations in which he was responsible for spearheading the company's data center performance optimization. In the newly created position of CFOO at Aligned, he will oversee both day-to-day data center operations and personnel globally while driving the operational strategy for data center technology enhancements, efficiency, and innovation. 'As we accelerate development of Aligned's five-plus gigawatts of planned future capacity across the Americas to meet the demand for AI-ready infrastructure, Billie will provide the roadmap to ensure operations continue to scale to meet our growth strategy and the needs of our hyperscale and large enterprise customers,' comments Andrew Schaap, CEO of Aligned. 'Through our people, Aligned embodies a tenacious commitment to organizational excellence. With more than 25 years of experience and a track record of achievement in managing mission-critical operations and personnel across geographically dispersed facilities, we are confident that Billie's leadership will continue to deliver the highest level of client service and performance reliability for future data center capacity in new locations as the company expands.' In addition to driving Aligned's operational excellence across North and South America, in his new role as CFOO, Mr. Haggard will continue to align operations with customer needs, optimize service delivery and operational efficiencies, and spearhead the integration of automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning (ML) to enhance infrastructure reliability. Before joining Aligned, Mr. Haggard served as Operations Director for a global leader in facility and asset management, overseeing management, operations, maintenance, and training for more than three million square feet of data center space and several hundred personnel. Previously, he has served in leadership positions with Critical Solutions Group, Microsoft Data Center Delivery Group, and CoreSite Realty Corporation. Mr. Haggard began his career in the U.S. Navy as a Nuclear Machinist Mate and Maintenance Manager where he earned four Navy Achievement Medals. He later earned a B.S. in Business Administration, Management, and Operations, and an M.S. in Human Resources Management from Colorado State University. 'Aligned Data Centers, it's now widely recognized, is uniquely positioned to meet the ever-increasing demand for AI, cloud services, and high-performance computing at the speed, scale, and quality of infrastructure our customers require,' states Mr. Haggard. 'While strategic supply chains, flexible and adaptive platforms, and cooling technology innovations have been critical to Aligned's success, the lion's share of exceptional data center operations surrounds attracting and developing top-tier talent — industriously. And so in my new role as Chief Facility Operations Officer, I am particularly enthused by the opportunity to enhance the operational excellence of our Pan-American teams as Aligned continues to aggressively grow its business globally.' About Aligned Data Centers Aligned Data Centers is a leading technology infrastructure company offering innovative, sustainable, and adaptive Scale Data Centers and Build-to-Scale solutions for global hyperscale and enterprise customers. Our intelligent infrastructure allows densification and vertical growth within the same footprint, enabling customers to scale up without disruption, all while maintaining industry-leading Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). By reducing the energy, water and space needed to operate, our data center solutions, combined with our patented cooling technology, offer businesses a competitive advantage by improving sustainability, reliability, and their bottom line. For more information, visit and connect with us on X, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Associated Press
19-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Aligned Data Centers Expands DFW Footprint with New Data Center in Mansfield, TX
DALLAS, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aligned Data Centers, a leading technology infrastructure company offering innovative, sustainable and adaptive Scale Data Centers and Build-to-Scale solutions for global hyperscale and enterprise customers, today announced its expansion in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro Area with a new data center campus in Mansfield, TX. Aligned's DFW-03, situated on a 27-acre site with an on-site substation, is strategically positioned to meet rising demand for AI, cloud and enterprise applications. Initial capacity is anticipated to be available as early as Q4'25, providing customers with rapid access to critical infrastructure. 'The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex provides the ideal foundation for Aligned's continued expansion,' says Andrew Schaap, CEO of Aligned. 'We are thrilled to bring our innovative data center solutions to Mansfield. Our focus will be on delivering the high-performance infrastructure our customers require to power their AI / cloud workloads and support the highest-density GPUs, with near-term power availability.' Aligned is strategically positioned to lead the next phase of data center development. With over a decade of innovation in cooling technologies and 5,000+ MW of future capacity, the company is uniquely equipped to deliver the speed, scale, and quality of infrastructure customers require to succeed in this rapidly evolving landscape. Aligned's DFW-03 leverages Aligned's proven adaptive modular infrastructure, accelerating deployments through prefabrication of components and on-site delivery of critical equipment. This flexible design approach minimizes cost and risk while enhancing sustainability and quality. It also empowers customers with the flexibility to optimize their deployments for various workloads, including AI, cloud, and enterprise applications, by tailoring density, resiliency, and redundancy. The data center also features Aligned's proprietary, award-winning air and liquid cooling technologies, enabling customers to easily transition from air-cooled to liquid-cooled systems, or deploy hybrid cooling within the same data hall, to accommodate densities upwards of 350 kW per rack. As part of Aligned's longstanding commitment to environmental and community stewardship, the company also established the 'Roots for the Future Fund' in partnership with the City of Mansfield. This fund supports city beautification as well as the planting of native trees in the local area, providing shade, improving air quality, and enhancing the overall sustainability of the community. 'Aligned Data Centers has continued to show that it's more than a business with a location in Mansfield,' said City of Mansfield Mayor Michael Evans. 'With the Roots for the Future Fund, the company is adding another stitch to the fabric of Mansfield as a neighbor and community leader.' 'We are incredibly grateful for the collaborative spirit of the City of Mansfield as well as the warm welcome we've received from the Mansfield community. This partnership has been instrumental in bringing this project to fruition. Aligned is committed to being a responsible corporate citizen and looks forward to our continued collaboration with the community to support local initiatives and contribute to the continued growth, prosperity and sustainability of the region,' adds Schaap. About Aligned Data Centers Aligned Data Centers is a leading technology infrastructure company offering innovative, sustainable, and adaptive Scale Data Centers and Build-to-Scale solutions for global hyperscale and enterprise customers. Our intelligent infrastructure allows densification and vertical growth within the same footprint, enabling customers to scale up without disruption, all while maintaining industry-leading Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). By reducing the energy, water and space needed to operate, our data center solutions, combined with our patented cooling technology, offer businesses a competitive advantage by improving sustainability, reliability, and their bottom line. For more information, visit and connect with us on X, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Aligned breaks ground on data center project in Frederick County; approved to build generators
Aligned Data Centers has broken ground on its first data center — a 72-megawatt facility — in Frederick County. The company also received a permit from the Maryland Department of the Environment on Jan. 30 to construct over 170 emergency generators with a combined capacity of 508 megawatts for its planned facilities. One megawatt can power an average household for a little over a month, according to solar software company RatedPower. Aligned, based in Texas, is one of the companies that will build at Quantum Frederick, a planned data center campus on the former site of the Alcoa Eastalco aluminum smelting plant near Adamstown. Data centers store computing machines and server systems needed for cloud-based services and require lots of power and water to stay online 24/7 and cool their equipment. The buildings also require backup generators in the case of an emergency outage. Aligned spokesperson Joanna Soucy said on Thursday that the company held a ceremonial groundbreaking at the project site in December. She said the company had no further comment on a construction timeline. Quantum Frederick is being developed by TPG and Catellus Development Corporation. The campus will be connected to the 'data center alley' in Virginia's Loudoun County by a 40-mile-long fiber optic ring called the QLoop. In 2024, Loudoun County had 43 million square feet of data centers. Two companies — Aligned and Rowan Digital Infrastructure — have announced their intent to build facilities on the Quantum Frederick campus. In May 2023, Aligned received conditional site-plan approval from the Frederick County Planning Commission to build a data center with 42 diesel backup generators. That same month, the company applied to the Maryland Public Service Commission asking for an exemption from obtaining a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) to install 168 three-megawatt emergency diesel generators — a combined total of 504 megawatts. A CPCN 'provides authority for a person to construct or modify a new generating station or high-voltage transmission lines,' according to the Public Service Commission's website. These generators included the 42 generators from the approved data center site plan and generators for three future data centers on the Quantum Frederick campus. The Public Service Commission denied Aligned the CPCN exemption, granting it authority to only install generators with a combined capacity of 70 megawatts. In October 2023, after it was denied the exemption, Aligned abandoned its Frederick County project, stating in a letter that the commission's decision may have 'sent a negative — and perhaps fatal — signal to the hoped-for data center industry in Maryland.' After a law passed in Maryland in 2024 allowing certain entities, including data centers, to bypass obtaining a CPCN to install emergency generators, Aligned announced it planned to proceed again with its project on Quantum Loophole's campus. Aligned's LinkedIn post on Feb. 3 announcing the groundbreaking said the data center under construction is called IAD-04. Data Center Dynamics, a data center publication, reported on Feb. 5 that the data center is a 72-megawatt facility. In response to a request asking about IAD-04 as a 72-megawatt data center, Soucy said the company had no further comment regarding project specifics. Aligned's generators The Maryland Department of the Environment also granted a construction permit to Aligned on Jan. 30, allowing the company to build 172 emergency diesel generators. The permit allows aligned to build 168 three-megawatt generators and four one-megawatt generators, a combined total power capacity of 508 megawatts. Aligned applied for the construction permit on July 1. Any operation or equipment that creates emissions to the outside air must receive an air quality permit from MDE before construction, according to a document about air quality construction permits. Fuel-burning equipment — such as the diesel-powered generators Aligned wants to install — fall under emission-discharging operations that need this permit. Each of Aligned's four planned data center buildings will have 42 three-megawatt generators and a one-megawatt generator. For the first data center building, the expected operation date for the generators will be in 2026, according to the permit. The Department of the Environment held a public meeting on Dec. 11 to hear comments on the draft permit for Aligned. During that meeting, Air Quality Permits Program Manager Suna Yi Sariscak said the generators will only be able to be operated for testing, maintenance and emergency purposes, and they must use ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, according to the permit. The Department of the Environment included answers to several questions people asked about the generators in a document on its final decision on Aligned's construction permit application. On Nov. 1, Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater sent a letter to the state requesting that it require Aligned to use Tier 4 or higher generators. 'Tier 4 generators are proven to emit less air pollution and create less noise, protecting both the environment and the residents of Frederick County,' Fitzwater wrote. To meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Tier 4 standards, the engines must have advanced emission control technologies, according to the agency's website. According to the document on the Department of the Environment's final decision, the three-megawatt generators are Tier 2, but they will have added pollution controls 'to reduce emissions to levels similar to using Tier 4 engines.'
