Integrating Edge Data Centers into Tertiary Buildings: The Energy System Perspective from the HEATWISE Project

Dr. Gabriele Humbert

Modeling and optimization of energy systems, EMPA

The HEATWISE project investigates how waste heat from small-scale data centers can be recovered and integrated into tertiary buildings to enhance overall energy efficiency and sustainability. This presentation introduces metrics to holistically assess the integration of edge data centers into buildings, highlighting the differing scopes and priorities of data center and building energy management. Optimal design and control strategies for energy hubs incorporating edge data centers are discussed, with a focus on the hybrid cooling system implemented at the NEST building at Empa. The overarching goal is to bridge the gap between IT infrastructure and low-carbon building technologies, fostering synergies and enabling more energy-aware digital systems.

 
Gabriele Humbert is a postdoctoral researcher at the Urban Energy Systems Laboratory at Empa – the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology – where he works on the modeling and optimization of integrated energy systems. His research focuses on sector coupling, short- and long-term thermal energy storage, and the valorization of waste heat in buildings and urban districts. Within the European project HEATWISE, he develops energy hub models that integrate edge data centers into building energy management strategies. Gabriele holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Birmingham and contributes to several national and international projects on energy flexibility and system integration.