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 Tools

In this framework, “tools” is a broad term, encompassing:

• Design Tools: Software or resources aiding AI data center design
• Operational Tools: Tools ensuring smooth running of systems, including IT equipment management and thermal management
• Maintenance Tools: Equipment used for long-term upkeep of data centers
• Integration Tools: Resources such as power management tools, siting integration resources, and land management tools

This section does not provide a comprehensive list of available tools. Rather, these tools are discussed and incorporated throughout the framework as appropriate within the context of the relevant project phase.

It should be noted that many tools used by the data center industry are proprietary, limiting their availability for public frameworks or guidance. This framework therefore largely focuses on publicly available resources and industry publications.

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Standards

There are existing standards regulating the design and energy efficiency of data centers that may be helpful to AI data center developers, such as:

• ASHRAE Standards:
  • ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 90.4-2025 Energy Standard for Data Centers
    • Summary fact sheet (for the 2022 version) 
  • ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2025 Energy Standard for Sites and Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings
    This standard covers non–data center areas like offices and employee facilities.
  • ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 127-2020 Method of Testing for Rating Air-Conditioning Units Serving Data Center (DC) and Other Information Technology Equipment (ITE) Spaces
  • ANSI/ASHRAE/ICC/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1 Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings.
    Addresses green construction codes and sustainable building practices that may be of use to AI data centers. 
  • ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2024 Energy and Emissions Building Performance Standard for Existing Buildings. Applies to existing buildings that may be retrofitted into data centers.
    • Fact sheet 
  • Proposed ASHRAE Standard 240P Quantification of Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Buildings
• National Electrical Code® (NFPA 70-2026). Essential for safe electrical system design.
• NFPA 855 Standard for the Installation of Stationary Energy Storage Systems (2026)
• US DOE Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Products 10 CFR 430
• US DOE Energy Conservation Standards for Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment 10 CFR 431 

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Other Resources

Reports and Design Guidance

• EPRI Report: Scaling Intelligence: The Exponential Growth of AI’s Power Needs 
• EPRI Report: Powering Intelligence: Analyzing Artificial Intelligence and Data Center Energy Consumption 
• ASHRAE Datacom Series. The ASHRAE TC 9.9 publications and design resources are pivotal for many AI data centers.
  Click here for TC 9.9’s Data Center Resource Page.
  • ASHRAE TC 9.9 Datacom Encyclopedia
    • “The Datacom Encyclopedia offers updated, previously unpublished content formerly covered by the Datacom Series books Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments, Design Considerations for Datacom Equipment Centers, and Liquid Cooling Guidelines for Datacom Equipment Centers, as well as PDFs of every edition of the 14 books in the ASHRAE Datacom Series for historical reference. Over time, the pertinent information from all the books will transition to be housed in this online encyclopedia.”
  • ASHRAE TC 9.9 White Paper: Data Center Power Equipment Thermal Guidelines and Best Practices 
  • ASHRAE TC 9.9 White Paper: Emergence and Expansion of Liquid Cooling in Mainstream Data Centers 
  • ASHRAE TC 9.9 White Paper: Cold Weather Shipping Acclimation and Best Practices 
  • ASHRAE TC 9.9 White Paper: Data Center Storage Equipment – Thermal Guidelines, Issues, and Best Practices 
  • ASHRAE TC 9.9 White Paper: Hard Disk Drive Performance Degradation Susceptibility to Acoustics 
  • ASHRAE TC 9.9 White Paper: Water-Cooled Servers: Common Designs, Components, and Processes 
  • ASHRAE TC 9.9 Technical Bulletin: Liquid Cooling: Resiliency Guidance for Cold Plate Deployments 
  • ASHRAE TC 9.9 Technical Bulletin: Edge Computing: Considerations for Reliable Operation 
• ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications, Chapter 20, Data Centers and Telecommunication Facilities (SI) 
• ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications, Chapter 20, Data Centers and Telecommunication Facilities (I-P)
• ENERGY STAR data center guidance and certifications
• The Green Grid - Data Center Metrics and Tools: Resource Effectiveness (DCRE) Energy Efficiency (PUE), Water Usage (WUE), Water Usage Impact (WUI), IT Work Capacity (ITWC), and related white papers
• UL resource: Low voltage DC microgrids and DER systems
• InterNational Electric Testing Association ATS – 2025 Standard for Acceptance Testing Specifications for Electrical Power Equipment and Systems 
• ASHRAE CEBD Resources
• LBNL Data Center Design Best Practices

Economic Planning Resources

Considering resources beyond technical tools, such as policy and economic factors affecting AI data centers, can be instrumental in the planning processes associated with data center development. Here are some resources and resource collections that may be helpful:

• A 50-state survey regarding tax incentives for data centers https://hbfiles.blob.core.windows.net/webfiles/TaxIncentivesforDataCenters50StateSurvey.pdf 
• The Solar Electric Power Association's database on large-user tariffs (DELTa) https://sepapower.org/large-load-tariffs-database/
• State-by-state data center regulation
  https://www.datacenterpolicy.com/database and https://www.steptoe.com/en/data-center-regulation-tracker.html (updated March 2026)

Currently, many states are enacting laws to address the energy and environmental impacts of data centers, with many states introducing legislation to regulate or incentivize development. Some key legislative actions from various U.S. states in 2025 include:

• California
  • SB 57 “Data Center Impact Assessment” was signed into law on October 11, 2025. It directs the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and California Energy Commission (CEC) to study whether growing data center electricity demand is shifting costs onto residential and commercial ratepayers.
• Colorado
  • Signed HB25-1177 into law, allowing utilities to offer “economic development rates” for large power users, such as data centers. https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1177
• Delaware
  • Data center laws were enacted in August 2026. Under House Bill 445, large-scale and hyperscale data centers are required to generate or procure their own clean energy sources to power operations fully within 10 years of opening. A portion of their backup power must also rely on renewable or clean energy rather than exclusively on diesel generators. Under House Bill 233 and Senate Bill 326, developers must pay 100% of their own infrastructure and grid-upgrade costs. The legislation stops these costs from being shifted to residential and small business utility customers. It also requires utility provider Delmarva Power to establish a separate, higher electricity rate class for hyperscale loads and places caps on nonessential utility infrastructure spending recovery. Another component of the enacted package explicitly removes large data centers from state programs that previously offered tax credits and financial incentives for job creation. In addition, provisions require larger data centers to be first in line for managed curtailment or power reduction during emergency grid stress or blackouts.
• Georgia
  • The Georgia Public Service Commission approved a new rule to prevent data center electricity costs from being passed on to other ratepayers. https://psc.ga.gov/site/assets/files/8617/media_advisory_data_centers_rule_1-23-2025.pdf
• Kansas
  • A settlement under the State Corporation Commission enacted a new rate plan where large customers pay a minimum monthly bill based on 80% of their contract demand, regardless of actual usage, among other stipulations such as a two-year collateral and an early exit fee. https://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx/25-315_Settlement_Agreement.pdf?Id=f65c8223-c3d3-47a7-b83b-877f318cf355&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
• Kentucky
  • In August 2026, Governor Andy Beshear issued Executive Order 2026-494 establishing requirements for data center projects seeking to locate and operate in Kentucky. The order took effect on August 6, 2026. The executive order outlines three areas of requirement data center developers must demonstrate: ensuring no detrimental impact on ratepayers or the environment, paying their fair share of local and school taxes, and engaging with local communities. https://governor.ky.gov/attachments/20260806_Executive-Order_2026-494_Related-to-Data-Centers.pdf
• Maryland
  • In May 2026, HB 1532 (Chapter 353), the Utility RELIEF Act was signed into law.  The law requires registration of large-load customers, increases transparency regarding data center energy and water demand, imposes fees, strengthens ratepayer protections by assigning grid costs to large-load users, and creates a framework for future clean-capacity participation. https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb1532
• Massachusetts
  • On September 8, 2026, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced new regulations surrounding the development of prospective data centers. Under Executive Order 658, https://www.mass.gov/executive-orders/no-658-establishing-requirements-for-responsible-data-center-development-and-operations-in-massachusetts-to-protect-and-support-ratepayers-communities-and-the-environment, data centers will need to get local community support to secure state permits, including having a community benefits agreement in place with the host community. The process will also need to be transparent, with no use of non-disclosure agreements between any state agencies and developers. Data centers will also be required to either supply their own clean energy or pay into a rate payer protection fund. Developers will also have to provide proof that the projects won't be detrimental to the environment or water supply. They also need to show benefits to communities, like job creation.
• Minnesota
  • Substantial modifications were made to the Minnesota environmental and energy regulatory requirements for data centers in June 2025. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/94/2025/1/HF/16/versions/0/
• New Jersey
  • Legislation passed in 2025 requires the Board of Public Utilities to study the effects of data center electricity usage on costs for other ratepayers. https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/PL25/98_.PDF.
  • In July 2026, New Jersey enacted A796 / S731 "Data Center Fair Share" into law (P.L. 2026, Chapter 32), signed by Governor Mikie Sherrill on July 7, 2026, and enacted as P.L.2026, Chapter 32. The new law requires special utility tariffs and service rules for large data centers, mandates that data centers pay the infrastructure costs they create, establishes financial guarantees to prevent stranded utility investments, and protects residential and commercial ratepayers from bearing the costs of growing AI- and cloud-computing-related electric demand.
• New York
  • In July 2026, Governor Hochul signed Executive Order No. 62. The order established the first statewide moratorium in the United States on new hyperscale data centers (50 MW or greater), directed the development of a comprehensive environmental review process, reinforced the principle that large-load customers should bear their own grid-related costs, and launched the framework for future statewide regulation of AI-driven data center development. https://www.governor.ny.gov/executive-order/no-62-establishing-temporary-moratorium-data-centers-new-york-while-state-develops
• Oregon
  • New rules from the Public Utility Commission place more stringent economic requirements and regulations on large load customers. https://www.oregon.gov/puc/utilities/pages/large-load.aspx.
  • On September 8, 2026, Governor Tina Kotek directed all state agencies to immediately pause unapproved requests for easements, rights-of-way, leases, rentals, land-use permits, and sales or transfers of state-owned property for data center projects. The pause remains in effect through July 1, 2027, or until statewide action from the Governor’s Office or the Legislature directs otherwise.
• Pennsylvania
  • In August 2026, Governor Shapiro issued Executive Order 2026-05, which requires large data center projects (over 25 MW) to comply with the Governor's GRID standards, obtain local approval, fund their own energy infrastructure costs, meet transparency and community-engagement requirements, and undergo a more rigorous permitting process. https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/governor/documents/eo2026_05_protecting%20pennsylvania%20consumers%20from%20data%20center%20impacts_final_executed.pdf
    https://dced.pa.gov/business-assistance/data-center-resources/planning-toolkit/ 
• Texas
  • SB 6 passed in 2025, empowering the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to disconnect power to large loads, such as data centers, during emergencies. https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?Bill=SB6&LegSess=88R and https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/pdf/SB00006E.pdf 
  • In June 2026, Governor Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and ERCOT to protect Texas residential customers from the impacts of rapid data center growth. In August 2026, Governor Abbott ordered a comprehensive audit and verification process for every data center project seeking grid interconnection. No additional data center projects may advance through the ERCOT interconnection process until the audit of all of the data center projects is completed. https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-directs-puc-and-ercot-to-shield-texans-from-data-center-infrastructure-costs  https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-directs-comprehensive-data-center-audit 
• Utah
  • SB 132 was enacted to enable power suppliers to contract directly with data centers for energy, which helps prevent costs from being passed to other ratepayers. https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/enrolled/SB0132.pdf
  • In March 2026,  H.B. 76, requiring greater transparency regarding water use by large data centers was signed into law. In May 2026, H.B. 507, limiting local incentives for certain large-load data centers and creating a new energy-tax/incentive structure, was signed into law.
  • Also in May 2026, Governor Cox issued Executive Order 2026-03, which established a statewide "Data Center Framework" that prioritizes protection of water resources, the Great Salt Lake, air quality, wildlife, utility ratepayers, and public participation while creating a coordinated state review process for future large-scale data center projects. https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/HB0076.html https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/HB0507.html        https://governor.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026.05.29-EO-Higher-Bar-for-Data-Center-Development-1.pdf 
• Virginia
  • The Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission published a study about the impacts of data centers on the state economy. https://jlarc.virginia.gov/landing-2024-data-centers-in-virginia.asp.  In April 2026, the following bills related to data centers were signed into law:  HB 1191  https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1191, HB 284 https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB284, and HB 507 https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB507 
  • In June 2026, Governor Abigail Spanberger signed the biennial budget bill (HB 30) that enacted a new electricity consumption tax of $0.011 per kilowatt-hour on qualifying data centers that took effect on July 1, 2026. The new tax is effective from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, and collections are capped at $600 million per fiscal year (up to $1.2 billion total over the two-year span). https://www.whitefordlaw.com/news-events/client-alert-update-virginia-enacts-energy-consumption-tax-on-data-centers-and-signs-broader-energy-affordability-package 

Data center development involves many challenges related to policy and market forces. For example, policies may change mid-project, leading to financial instability or cancellation.

In Ohio, for example, recent utility rate changes drove down queued data center projects from 30 GW to 13 GW.¹ Overstatement of power requirements and energy needs can lead to stranded assets for both energy providers and data centers, highlighting the importance of accurate prediction tools.

Historical examples of rapid development challenges and failures, such as the mass exodus during the dot-com boom, underscore the necessity of thoughtful planning and robust frameworks. Efficient data center operation not only benefits the present but also ensures longevity of the industry and surrounding economies.

¹ https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/aep-ohio-slashes-data-center-pipeline-by-more-than-half-report/

Author Acknowledgement

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