Data Centers article featured in BD+C

As data centers continue to proliferate, their acoustic impact on surrounding communities is becoming a critical design consideration. Alex Odom’s article, featured in Building Design + Construction, explores what it truly means for a data center to be a “good noise neighbor.” The article breaks down common sources of data center noise, explains why tonal and low-frequency sounds are often more disruptive than overall loudness, and outlines design strategies that can meaningfully reduce community impact.

This article, originally published on the Lab @ Acentech, features embedded listening modules allowing readers to hear the differences that thoughtful acoustic design can make. By pairing technical insight with real-world auditory examples, the article moves beyond compliance-based thinking by framing noise control as an opportunity to build better relationships between data centers and their surrounding communities.