Editing Data center (section)

=== Noise levels ===
Generally speaking, local authorities prefer noise levels at data centers to be "10&nbsp;dB below the existing night-time background noise level at the nearest residence."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clarke |first=Renaud |date=2020-07-01 |title=Acoustic Barriers for Data Centres |url=https://www.iacacoustics.global/news/acoustic-barriers-for-data-centres/ |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=IAC Acoustics |language=en-US}}</ref>

OSHA regulations require monitoring of noise levels inside data centers if noise exceeds 85 decibels.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thibodeau |first=Patrick |date=2007-07-31 |title=That sound you hear? The next data center problem |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2542868/that-sound-you-hear--the-next-data-center-problem.html |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=Computerworld |language=en}}</ref> The average noise level in server areas of a data center may reach as high as 92-96&nbsp;dB(A).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sensear |title=Data Center Noise Levels |url=https://www.sensear.com/markets/data-centers/noise-levels-infographic |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=Sensear |language=en-us}}</ref>

Residents living near data centers have described the sound as "a high-pitched whirring noise 24/7", saying  "It's like being on a [[Airport apron|tarmac]] with an airplane engine running constantly ... Except that the airplane keeps idling and never leaves."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weisbrod |first=Katelyn |date=2023-02-10 |title=In Northern Virginia, a Coming Data Center Boom Sounds a Community Alarm |url=https://insideclimatenews.org/news/10022023/virginia-data-centers-amazon-prince-william-county/ |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=[[Inside Climate News]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Judge |first=Peter |date=2022-07-19 |title=Prince William residents complain of "catastrophic noise" from data centers |language=en |work=DCD |url=https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/prince-william-residents-complain-of-catastrophic-noise-from-data-centers/ |access-date=2023-02-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Judge |first=Peter |date=2022-07-27 |title=Chicago residents complain of noise from Digital Realty data center |language=en |work=DCD |url=https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/chicago-residents-complain-of-noise-from-digital-realty-data-center/ |access-date=2023-02-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Mark |date=2021-11-30 |title=Chandler to consider banning data centers amid noise complaints |url=https://www.abc15.com/news/region-southeast-valley/chandler/chandler-to-consider-banning-data-centers |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix (KNXV) |language=en}}</ref>

External sources of noise include HVAC equipment and energy generators.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Data Center Soundproofing and Noise Control- Reduce Server Noise |url=https://ddsacoustical.com/applications-dds/data-center-soundproofing/ |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=DDS Acoustical Specialties}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bosker |first=Bianca |date=2019-12-06 |title=Your "cloud" data is making noise on the ground |url=https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-tech/your-cloud-data-is-making-noise-on-the-ground/ |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=Marketplace |language=en-US}}</ref>