NCAR Wyoming Supercomputing Center

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Wyoming Supercomputing Center (NWSC) is dedicated to advancing scientists’ understanding of climate, weather, and other Earth and atmospheric processes. Our team had the opportunity to design a data center to be a leader in energy efficiency while housing some of the world’s most powerful supercomputers.

Driving concepts for this unique facility were efficiency and simplicity: efficiency of function and energy usage, and simplicity of planning, form, and materials. Transparency was also a primary design goal with respect to the physical environment as well as NWSC’s desired relationship with the public and the academic community.

Recognizing the complex partnership of stakeholders and UCAR/NCAR’s desire to be fully engaged in the design process from the very beginning, we used a participatory design process to integrate the expertise of each individual into the fabric of the design.

UCAR/NCAR’s work with community partners included the University of Wyoming, the State of Wyoming, the National Science Foundation (NSF), Cheyenne LEADS, the Wyoming Business Council, and Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power. This collaboration resulted in transparent and open communication with stakeholders. Not only was the project delivered on schedule and within budget, but the process was client-focused with collaboration and client satisfaction as an important goal.

Consistent with its mission to advance scientific knowledge, education, and service through high-performance computing, the facility was designed to be a leader in energy efficiency, incorporating the newest and most efficient designs and technologies available. Daylighting, natural heating and cooling, and efficient water use were optimized to meet the stringent goals of energy efficiency and sustainability.

The facility was designed with a flexible, modular approach to enable the facility to house multiple generations of supercomputer-class systems as computing technologies change in the coming years. Special attention was paid to the city of Cheyenne’s unpredictable weather conditions, addressing “high, dry, cool climate” issues with a focus on environmental stewardship.

The result of the high level of collaboration and partnership throughout the process is an award-winning, signature facility. This data center represents the collaborative partnership between local, state, and federal government entities and private industry as both a state-of-the-art facility, as well as an educational facility. With design features that enable it to respond quickly and efficiently to changing conditions both inside and outside the facility, this LEED Gold Certified project achieves NWSC’s aesthetic, functional, and sustainability goals.