Leeds-Based Colocation Providers, aql, and IT Cooling Experts, Airedale International Air Conditioning Join Forces to Build a Prototype District Heating Scheme Recycling Data Centre Waste Heat

LEEDS, England, July 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

aql, the Leeds-based telecommunications and mobile messaging specialist which operates two data centres on the south bank of Leeds, has been working closely with Rawdon-based air conditioning manufacturer and leading UK IT cooling experts, Airedale International, to design and build a prototype, revolutionary district heating recycling scheme.

aql has experienced rapid expansion in recent years and its datacentres form the 'home' of the Leeds Internet Exchange (known as IXLeeds) which provides a connectivity hub for the entire Yorkshire region.  It is less commonly known that aql provides services from its Leeds datacentres to over 35 of the FTSE 100 companies.

This fast growth gives rise to the installation of more IT equipment in aql data halls, triggering a greater demand for power and the generation of a lot of waste heat.  

Dr Adam Beaumont, CEO of aql stated: "Airedale designs and manufactures robust and reliable cooling equipment and we work with them, bringing together our science and perspective as a data centre operator and Airedale's design and engineering expertise, to produce greener solutions.

"Our latest project with Airedale is to investigate the feasibility of building a prototype district heating scheme capable of providing several hundred kilowatts of heating by 'recycling' waste heat from our data centres.

"Our partnership with Airedale is perfect. Before I formed aql in 1998, I was a lecturer at Leeds University and one of my specialisms was thermodynamics - the study of the flow of heat.  After forming a technology company, I never thought that this discipline would be of relevance to me again, but once we started building our own datacentres, it became clear that managing heat flow in an efficient manner has a huge effect on our profitability and environmental impact."  

Airedale provides aql data centres with efficient cooling solutions that integrate its free-cooling chillers using cooler ambient air outside to cool intelligent indoor units to deliver extremely precise climate control within the data centre, minimising energy consumption and ensuring no energy is wasted.

aql plans to use the waste heat to warm its own 300 seat city-centre conference auditorium and also hopes eventually to provide heating to The Tetley - a nearby contemporary art space initiative operated by Project Space Leeds (PSL).  Kerry Harker, Co-Founder & Director of PSL, stated "The Tetley is a large-scale gallery and exhibition space. The challenge for any art organisation is long-term sustainability and self-sufficiency, and the opportunity to save what could be a significant heating cost is a step towards this goal."

Notes to Editors:

About aql

Any mention of aql should be used in lower-case letters as it is a trademarked name and device of (aq) ltd.

aql is a UK regulated telecommunications and datacentre operator based in the centre of Leeds. Established in 1998, aql specialises in providing a wide range of innovative wholesale telecommunications solutions including mobile SMS text messaging and IP telephony.

About Airedale

Formed in 1974 Airedale is the UK's leading manufacturer of air conditioning applications including data centre, process and comfort cooling to clients in sectors ranging from ISP and data centres, telecommunications, finance and commerce to leisure, retail, defence, education and industry in more than 60 countries worldwide.

Airedale's 25,000 m² manufacturing facility and £2 million test centre in Leeds are regarded as a centre of excellence for air conditioning and product design. Ensuring a complete solution, Airedale provides comprehensive service and spares support, building management and control systems in addition to a retrofit service and training across a number of related areas including air conditioning and refrigeration.

With additional production facilities in South Africa and China, Airedale employs more than 425 globally and is part of Modine Manufacturing Group. http://www.airedale.com