Singapore has introduced Singapore Standard 726:2026 Liquid Cooling in Tropical Data Centres (“SS 726“), the world’s first standard for liquid cooling in tropical data centres (“DCs“). SS 726 provides guidelines on designing and optimising liquid cooling systems for tropical DC environments to address the critical cooling demands of artificial intelligence (AI) workloads run on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). Together with other national standards (including the Tropical Data Centre standard and the Energy Efficiency of Data Centre IT Equipment standard), SS 726 advances Singapore’s Green Data Centre Roadmap.
Most DCs in Singapore currently use air-cooling to dissipate server heat. Since liquids transfer heat more efficiently than air, liquid cooling is increasingly important in reducing energy consumption for high-density computing infrastructure.
SS 726 addresses industry gaps by providing practical guidelines on system design, commissioning, risk management, and safe operations, helping operators deploy liquid cooling effectively. The standard addresses challenges including leak risks, equipment replacement difficulties, and the industry’s limited experience with DC liquid cooling.
Specific Challenges of Tropical Climate
Singapore’s high temperatures and humidity pose specific challenges for liquid cooling facilities. SS 726 addresses these challenges with guidelines tailored for tropical conditions, drawing on best practices from the Open Compute Project and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, adapted for Singapore’s climate.
Comprehensive Lifecycle Guidance
SS 726 covers best practices across the full lifecycle of liquid cooling infrastructure, including:
DC floor loading;
cooling loop and equipment design;
piping materials selection;
fluid quality requirements; and
- monitoring and management.
SS 726 also includes metrics and strategies for sustainable DC operations, supporting energy efficiency and water usage efficiency objectives.
Click on the following links for more information (available on the Infocom Media Development Authority (“IMDA“) website at www.imda.gov.sg):
- IMDA Press Release titled “Singapore launches world’s first liquid cooling standard for data centres in tropical climates”
- IMDA Press Release titled “Singapore Standard SS 726:2026 – Liquid Cooling in Tropical Data Centres”
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