Joint IT-Cooling System Optimization for Data Center Energy Efficiency: A Critical Review

Kai Hu; Puxi Guo; Chengchu Yan; Tao Deng; Depeng Li; Chaoqun Zhuang

doi:10.59717/ipj.energy-use.2025.100020

Energy Use > 2025 Vol. 1 > No. 2 > 100020

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Joint IT-Cooling System Optimization for Data Center Energy Efficiency: A Critical Review

1.
College of Urban Construction, Nanjing Tech University, No.200, North Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, 210009, China
2.
China Construction Industrial & Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd., No.6, Wenlan Road, Qixia District, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

Fund Project: The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the project “Research and Application of Key Technologies for EPC Design of Data Centers” (AZ-2025-12).

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Corresponding author: chengchu.yan@njtech.edu
Received Date: October 24, 2025

Accepted Date: December 03, 2025

Published Online: December 24, 2025

Energy Use 1(2), https://doi.org/10.59717/ipj.energy-use.2025.100020 | Cite this article

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Data center energy efficiency requires collaborative optimization of IT and cooling systems. However, comprehensive reviews that provide whole-process optimization guidance based on thermoelectric coupling are still scarce. This paper bridges this gap by analyzing the thermoelectric coupling characteristics of data centers and systematically reviewing evaluation indicators, design measures, and control methods for energy saving optimization, with the goal of providing theoretical guidance for holistic energy-efficiency improvement.
Specifically, to determine the objective of collaborative energy saving optimization, this paper focuses on analyzing the limitations of PUE and its derived indicators. Secondly, to facilitate collaborative energy saving optimization at the design stage, this paper reviews the optimization schemes and measures for IT and cooling systems and highlights the key design aspects of cooling systems. Afterwards, to promote collaborative energy saving optimization at the operational stage, this paper reviews research into individual optimization as well as joint optimization between IT and cooling systems and points out the core problems of existing joint optimization methods. On this basis, this paper also proposes two future research directions in the field: the evaluation indicators of "computational efficiency" and a universal cross-scale thermoelectric coupling model.

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Hu K., Guo P., Yan C., et al. (2025). Joint IT-Cooling System Optimization for Data Center Energy Efficiency: A Critical Review. Energy Use 1:100020. https://doi.org/10.59717/ipj.energy-use.2025.100020

Hu K., Guo P., Yan C., et al. (2025). Joint IT-Cooling System Optimization for Data Center Energy Efficiency: A Critical Review. Energy Use 1:100020. https://doi.org/10.59717/ipj.energy-use.2025.100020

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Joint IT-Cooling System Optimization for Data Center Energy Efficiency: A Critical Review

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