site banner
PaperclipPerfector  9hr ago (text post)   366 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for March 20, 2026

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

Top Bottom Old Controversial Comments
Jump in the discussion.

No email address required.

ICC is in the very early stages of developing a guideline on data centers. Nothing but a tentative outline has been published so far (in the "documents" on the linked page).

Data centers have existed for decades. If the ICC hasn't figured out how to handle data centers, then maybe they're really no as important as you suggest.

And clicking that link takes me to this description of the G12 guidelines. I did not think it possible to channel the pompous, verbose writing of an overconfident undergrad without sounding like chatgpt, but damn this committee nailed it.

The G12 Guideline on Data Centers provides a clear, comprehensive, and easy‑to‑navigate framework that aligns the most relevant code provisions for modern data center design and construction. As data centers evolve in scale, operational complexity, and criticality, this guideline brings together key requirements from multiple disciplines, electrical, mechanical, fire protection, structural, water efficiency, and more, into a single, cohesive resource tailored specifically to these unique facilities.

By integrating applicable codes and standards to highlight how they relate within the context of data center operations, G12 enhances understanding for building officials, designers, and developers. It offers a clear pathway for achieving safety, reliability, and sustainability in the built environment, supporting the development of data centers that meet today’s performance needs while preparing for tomorrow’s technological advancements.

Clarification: The current IBC can "handle" data centers under any of the three occupancies listed above. The problem is that data centers are not specifically listed as an example under any of those occupancies, so a builder may run into problems if he thinks that they fall under one occupancy but the municipal code official thinks they fall under a different occupancy.

It is my understanding that similar problems have been noted in many local zoning ordinances (not based on ICC codes—the IZC is nowhere near as popular as the IRC and IBC): data centers are allowed in business zones, or even in residential zones, but because the new extra-power-hungry versions with loud fans are not specifically addressed the municipal code official is forced to allow them in business and residential zones even though loud uses should have been shunted off to industrial zones.

Thanks for the clarification. I'd be curious if there is anything that I would consider a datacenter that is located in a business zone instead of an industrial zone. In my mind, a "server room" doesn't become a "data center" until you start measuring the size in acres.

I suspect this whole effort is basically just Europeans catching up to how Americans already do things in practice. (That's my general uncharitable impression of most standards organizations that start with "International".)

I'd be curious if there is anything that I would consider a datacenter that is located in a business zone instead of an industrial zone. In my mind, a "server room" doesn't become a "data center" until you start measuring the size in acres.

The first result on Google for "data center noise complaints" turns up this location. It's in an "industrial/business" zone (1 2), but right on the edge. I guess the residents just want a bigger buffer between industries and their houses. (Or maybe they're just unreasonable NIMBYs who should have known what they were getting into when they bought a house immediately adjacent to an industrial zone.)

I suspect this whole effort is basically just Europeans catching up to how Americans already do things in practice. (That's my general uncharitable impression of most standards organizations that start with "International".)

No, ICC is a firmly USAian organization. I mentioned in my previous code-related comment that ICC recently rejected a proposal to add some European standards as alternatives to equivalent American standards.

What is this place?

This website is a place for people who want to move past shady thinking and test their ideas in a court of people who don't all share the same biases. Our goal is to optimize for light, not heat; this is a group effort, and all commentators are asked to do their part.

The weekly Culture War threads host the most controversial topics and are the most visible aspect of The Motte. However, many other topics are appropriate here. We encourage people to post anything related to science, politics, or philosophy; if in doubt, post!

Check out The Vault for an archive of old quality posts. You are encouraged to crosspost these elsewhere.


Why are you called The Motte?

A motte is a stone keep on a raised earthwork common in early medieval fortifications. More pertinently, it's an element in a rhetorical move called a "Motte-and-Bailey", originally identified by philosopher Nicholas Shackel. It describes the tendency in discourse for people to move from a controversial but high value claim to a defensible but less exciting one upon any resistance to the former. He likens this to the medieval fortification, where a desirable land (the bailey) is abandoned when in danger for the more easily defended motte. In Shackel's words, "The Motte represents the defensible but undesired propositions to which one retreats when hard pressed."

On The Motte, always attempt to remain inside your defensible territory, even if you are not being pressed.


New post guidelines

If you're posting something that isn't related to the culture war, we encourage you to post a thread for it. A submission statement is highly appreciated, but isn't necessary for text posts or links to largely-text posts such as blogs or news articles; if we're unsure of the value of your post, we might remove it until you add a submission statement. A submission statement is required for non-text sources (videos, podcasts, images).

Culture war posts go in the culture war thread; all links must either include a submission statement or significant commentary. Bare links without those will be removed.

If in doubt, please post it!


Rules


Recommended Posts And Communities

Recommended Realtime Chats