Yes, data centres can be noisy. Cooling fans, chillers, pumps and backup generators all produce sound. However, how much noise reaches neighbouring properties depends on the equipment, building layout, distance and acoustic controls.
A facility can be loud inside its plant areas without creating the same noise level at a nearby home. Equally, a relatively steady hum can become noticeable in a quiet neighbourhood, particularly overnight.
For residents and building owners, the useful question is: what will people hear at their property during normal operation, hot weather and generator testing?
What makes noise at a data centre?
Data centres contain computing equipment that produces heat and supporting systems that keep it operating. Much of the noise relevant to surrounding properties comes from that supporting infrastructure.
In an explanation published by UNSW, acoustics specialists Marion Burgess and John Davy identify cooling equipment and backup generators as significant noise sources. They also distinguish noise within a facility from the sound reaching surrounding areas after distance and noise controls are considered. unsw.edu.au
| Noise source | What it does | When it may be heard |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling fans and air-handling units | Move air through cooling and ventilation systems | During normal operation, with output varying by demand |
| Chillers and cooling towers | Help remove heat from the facility | Depending on cooling design, weather and computing load |
| Pumps | Circulate cooling liquids | While the associated cooling circuits operate |
| Backup generators | Supply power when the normal supply is unavailable | During testing, maintenance and power interruptions |
The mix varies between facilities. A description of one data centre’s equipment should not be treated as a noise forecast for another.
Do data centres make noise all night?
Data centres generally operate around the clock, so their cooling and ventilation systems may continue overnight.
However, continuous operation does not mean every fan, pump or cooling unit runs at full output all the time. Operating conditions can change with equipment demand, outside temperature and control settings.
A proper assessment should therefore consider several operating scenarios. A daytime visit while a facility is lightly loaded does not necessarily reveal what neighbours will hear during a warm night or after the site expands.
For anyone reviewing a proposal, useful questions include:
- What equipment operates overnight?
- What is the predicted noise at the nearest homes?
- Does the assessment include hotter weather and higher cooling demand?
- Does it cover the completed development or only the first stage?
- How will actual performance be checked once the facility opens?
Why can a hum be more noticeable than expected?
Noise is not only about volume. Its character, duration and timing also matter.
A distinct tone or recurring drone may attract attention differently from a broad wash of background sound. This is why a single decibel figure does not always provide a complete description of someone’s experience.
EPA Victoria’s industrial-noise guidance considers factors including sound character, frequency content, duration and how often noise occurs. Its guidance also identifies circumstances where a detailed assessment by an acoustic specialist is appropriate. Those Victorian provisions are not South Australian rules, but they illustrate why industrial noise assessment goes beyond a simple loud-or-quiet judgement. epa.vic.gov.au
If the concern is a persistent hum, describe the hum when reporting it. Its timing and character can help an investigator decide what needs measuring.
How loud are data centres in decibels?
There is no single decibel figure that reliably describes every data centre.
A measurement beside a generator, inside a server hall or at a neighbouring bedroom represents a different situation. Comparing those readings without their locations and operating conditions can be misleading.
When someone presents a noise figure, ask:
Where was it measured?
At the equipment, the site boundary or a nearby property?
What was operating?
Normal cooling equipment, generator testing or a combination of systems?
What does the figure represent?
An average over a period, a maximum level or a prediction?
What else was audible?
Traffic, wind and other industrial activity can affect the measurement.
A useful acoustic report connects its figures to a clearly defined location and operating scenario. An unexplained claim that a facility produces “X decibels” tells a neighbour very little.
Are backup generators running constantly?
Backup generators are generally intended for interruptions to the normal electricity supply, with testing and maintenance needed to confirm they are available when required. They should not automatically be treated as equipment running continuously throughout normal operation. unsw.edu.au
Nevertheless, their operating arrangements deserve attention.
For a proposed development, ask how frequently testing is planned, how long it will last and whether multiple generators may operate together. Testing and emergency operation should be clearly distinguished in the project documents.
That distinction makes discussions more useful. Residents need to understand both the everyday sound environment and the less frequent operating conditions.
How can building design reduce data centre noise?
Noise management works best when it influences the design before equipment locations and building layouts are fixed.
Cundall acoustics principal Victor Lindstrom explains that plant placement, building screening and assessment of the combined noise from a campus can affect both the initial development and its future expansion. His published guidance also highlights the need to coordinate acoustic performance with heat rejection. Cundall
Position equipment carefully
The design team can compare alternative locations for cooling plant and generators, considering neighbouring buildings and the paths sound may take.
An early layout review is an opportunity to ask whether the building itself can provide useful screening.
Select suitable noise controls
Potential measures include quieter equipment, acoustic louvres, barriers, enclosures and silencers. Their suitability depends on the particular source and installation. unsw.edu.au
Rather than simply specifying an “acoustic screen”, the project team should establish what performance is needed and demonstrate how the proposed treatment achieves it.
Keep cooling performance in the design discussion
Acoustic treatment needs to work alongside the cooling system. Cundall’s project experience shows why acoustic modelling and airflow analysis may need to be considered together. Cundall
For more background on the cooling process, read our guide to why data centres need water.
Check the finished installation
A practical project brief should identify how noise performance will be verified after installation, who will investigate unexpected results and how any required improvements will be managed.
This turns a design prediction into something the operator can check against the completed facility.
What noise rules apply in South Australia?
South Australia’s Environment Protection (Commercial and Industrial Noise) Policy 2023 provides a framework for assessing commercial and industrial noise. The applicable assessment needs to consider the particular site and relevant requirements. legislation.sa.gov.au
A noise limit quoted for a project in Sydney, Melbourne or overseas should not be assumed to apply to an Adelaide development.
For a specific proposal, ask the project’s acoustic consultant to identify the applicable criteria and explain how they have been applied. The assessment should make clear which locations, operating conditions and periods have been considered.
What should nearby residents ask to see?
If a data centre is proposed near your property, start with the project’s acoustic assessment and supporting planning documents.
Look for answers to these questions:
- Is your property represented? Check whether the assessment includes your location or explains why another assessment point represents it.
- Are overnight conditions covered? Daytime results alone may not address your main concern.
- Is generator testing explained? Look for timing, duration and simultaneous operation assumptions.
- Is future expansion included? Establish whether the report covers the whole development.
- Are noise controls specific? Look for defined measures rather than general commitments.
- Is there a verification process? Ask how predictions will be checked after the facility begins operating.
For an existing concern, keep a record of the dates, times, duration and character of the sound. Note where you heard it and whether windows were open or closed. These observations give the operator or investigating authority a clearer starting point.
What this means for commercial building projects
Data centres make the relationship between building services and neighbouring properties particularly visible. The same coordination issue arises on smaller commercial projects with substantial cooling, ventilation or standby-power equipment.
A useful early brief asks the building designer, mechanical engineer and acoustic consultant to agree on equipment locations, access requirements and noise objectives before construction constrains the options.
Mayfair Building Group provides commercial building, maintenance and project management services in Adelaide. For projects involving substantial mechanical services, early coordination helps the building team understand the space and construction requirements of specialist designs.
Typically asked questions
What we get asked.
Are all data centres noisy to live near?
No single answer applies to every location. What reaches a nearby home depends on the facility’s equipment, layout, operating conditions and noise controls. A site-specific assessment is more useful than the building’s size alone.
Are data centres noisier at night?
They are not necessarily producing more sound at night, but overnight operation needs to be assessed separately. A daytime visit cannot establish what a neighbouring property will experience throughout the night.
Does liquid cooling make a data centre silent?
No. Liquid cooling still involves supporting equipment and a way to release heat. The whole cooling and power system needs to be considered when assessing noise.
Can data centre noise be reduced after construction?
Potential improvements should be assessed by an acoustic specialist alongside the mechanical design team. Available space, equipment access and cooling requirements can constrain the options, which is why early acoustic input is valuable.
How far away do you need to be to avoid the noise?
There is no universal distance that guarantees a particular result. The appropriate assessment considers the source, surroundings, screening and the location where people may be affected.