Paris Data Center Not Too Noisy, After All (datacenterdynamics.com)

judgecorp writes: A Paris court has ruled that a suburban data center can continue to operate, reversing an earlier decision to close it down after protests from residents. The data center's owner, Interxion, cited noise impact studies form 2014 which showed the site was operating within authorized limits, and also within the levels it predicted in its planning application

Comments

Misleading headline

[Anonymous Coward]

If the residents are protesting and the plant is within regulation, the regulations allow too much noise. If the datacenter was "not too noisy after all" then nobody would have complained/protested.

Re:Misleading headline

[jklovanc]

If the datacenter was "not too noisy after all" then nobody would have complained/protested.

For some people any perceptible change in noise it too much noise. That is a subjective standard. The area is probably zoned for a certain noise level and seems to be within that objective standard.

Re:Misleading headline

[khchung]

If the datacenter was "not too noisy after all" then nobody would have complained/protested.

For some people any perceptible change in noise it too much noise.

Worse, for some people with hidden agenda, even imperceptible noise is too much noise.

It wouldn't be hard for budding politician to make an issue out of nothing and come out "for the neighborhood" as a knight in shining armor driving away a "noisy datacenter", and then appearing for the next election nearby. These things happen all the time where ever there are local elections.

Re:Misleading headline

[X-chan]

This is France, we're famous for protesting and going on strike for about everything under the sun.

That said, while I can't judge this specific case, the noise overall in Paris is bad. Of course you eventually get used to it and you phase it out, but I don't know how I'd live without double glazing. Nothing to do with datacenters, just cars and other motorized vehicules. So anything that add extra noise on top of it is not going to be welcomed by residents.

Re:Misleading headline

[Anonymous Coward]

If the residents are protesting and the plant is within regulation, the regulations allow too much noise.

We've had people complaining from headaches caused by a cell tower.. which was never switched on.
So I would not take people protests as a consistent sign that regulations must be changed. These protests sometimes just mean that something HAS changed.

Re: Misleading headline

[Anonymous Coward]

Do you also get headaches when you don't see the WiFi equipment?

Re:STRIKE!

[Milvuss]

Montreuil has a lot a gentrification currently going on. So, even if there still quite a lot of poor people, and a huge Malian community, there is also more and more wealthy people there. And quite a lot of jobs too, with all the offices of BNP Paribas.

But, in fact, it's not really relevant here, Montreuil is where the court is, not the datacenter. The later is in La Courneuve. I know less well this city, but there it seems there is also quite a lot of gentrification and (new) jobs there.

Re:That was quick

[wilhil6128]

Not really... My brother lived for a year in a tower block next to the Level 3 data centre in London... The noise was so bad during the summer - a full huge roof with so many AC units. I can't tell you how loud it was, but, you don't want to live near them by choice... If you move to the area after, fair enough... but, if they are built later, it is certainly bad. My brother moved in during the winter and didn't notice at all - it was only during the summer it became a problem.

Re:That was quick

[_merlin]

It's the sound of backup generator testing that the residents have complained about.

Re:Noise source

[angel'o'sphere]

You mean the data center? I doubt it produces so much excess heat that it is worth it.
Anyway: consider the uproar that after or while building the dc all sourrounding streets are opened to lay pipes, the uproar when all potential customers houses and cellars get reworked for those pipes consider the uproar when rents are rising: see you have the new heating system ... with all that compfort you surely like to pay more?
On top of that: it would take ages to integrate that into an already existing city. (On top of that again: we are talking about Paris ...)

Recycling waste heat: meanwhile in CH

[DrYak]

Meanwhile, Geneva (Switzerland) successfully managed to build a floating swimming pool in the lake that is heated by the waste heat of cooling loops of the nearby hotels.