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Neal, Morse shown progress at computing center site

Date: 4/17/2012

April 18, 2012

By G. Michael Dobbs

news@thereminder.com

HOLYOKE — Standing on the second floor of the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center, its executive director John Goodhue pointed to row after row of piping coming from the ceiling. This is where, he explained, the banks of computers will be located and the piping is part of an elaborate cooling system.

Goodhue gave a tour and construction update last week to Congressman Richard Neal and Mayor Alex Morse. The $95 million project is a collaboration between Massachusetts Institute of technology, Boston University, Northeastern University, University of Massachusetts, Harvard University, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Cisco, EMC and the Federal New Markets Tax Credit program.

Goodhue walked Neal and Morse through a mockup of a unit of computers called a "pod." There will be 30 pods on the second floor.

"The idea," Goodhue said, "is to get it very very compact so you can get as much computing in a very small space."

In an area to the side of the building, Goodhue pointed to flat concrete pads. Those will be the location of the back-up generators. Inside on the first floor, he led the group first in to the transformer room where the electricity will be converted for use by the computers.

Goodhue noted that all of the electrical pathways have been designed to lose the least amount of power.

Conservation and re-use was a dominant theme throughout the tour. Goodhue said the building would be certified as LEED Gold, the second highest designation of energy efficiency. Morse said his administration is working on ways to re-use the heat coming from the computers, as he believes there will be secondary uses.

The entrance of the building will be on Appleton Street and Goodhue said the first floor will have a lobby area, a research facility and offices.Landscaping has been designed to carry the rainwater off of the building and into a system so it will have minimal impact on wastewater treatment.

In the actual computing area, Goodhue described the number of computers as a "sea." There will be 680 racks of computers and he said the sound of them working will be quite loud. He added that the coldest parts of the room will be 70 to 75 degrees but a temperature of 100 degrees would be common.

Much of the building's system is keeping the computers as cool as possible and Goodhue said the center would be relying on cold New England winters to help conserve air conditioning costs.

Neal asked about the economic spin-off of the center and Morse said there are several property owners near the center who have decided to stay in town and re-invest in their buildings rather than move out.

Across the canal, Morse pointed to a large building at 130 Appleton St. He said the city recently seized for back taxes. His goal is to market the building for re-use as condominiums.

The center is still expected to open later this year.



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