This directory covers companies that design, supply, install and maintain cooling systems for Australian data centres: chillers, computer room air handlers and conditioners, heat rejection, pipework and controls. For direct-to-chip and immersion systems, see liquid cooling. For an editorial explanation of cooling technologies, water use and climate, see data centre cooling in Australia.
The Role of Cooling in Data Centres
Nearly every watt a data centre's IT equipment uses becomes heat that has to be removed continuously. If cooling fails, equipment overheats within minutes. Cooling contractors and suppliers deliver:
- Chilled water plant: chillers, pumps, pipework, buffer tanks and water treatment
- Heat rejection: dry coolers, adiabatic coolers or cooling towers
- Air-side systems: CRAH units (chilled-water fed) and CRAC units (direct expansion), fan walls and containment
- Controls: building management and cooling controls tuned for efficiency and failover
- Maintenance: preventive maintenance, water treatment, and performance tuning over the facility's life
On large campuses the quantities are big. The Mamre Road campus application in Kemps Creek lists 936 cooling units.
Key Infrastructure Requirements
Redundancy
Cooling is designed so that losing any single chiller, pump or air handler, or taking one out for maintenance, doesn't affect IT load. N+1 and 2N arrangements are common. Chilled water systems often include thermal storage to ride through a chiller restart after a power interruption.
Efficiency
Cooling is the largest energy overhead outside the IT load, measured through PUE. Buyers look for higher water temperatures, economiser (free-cooling) hours, variable-speed drives and effective containment.
Water
Water use is now a planning and policy issue:
- Victoria's September 2026 action plan requires recycled or non-drinking water for water-intensive cooling in new applications, with design WUE caps of 1.0 L/kWh (potable) and 1.6 L/kWh (non-potable) (Hall & Wilcox).
- NSW's August 2026 framework requires data centres to fund additional water supply.
- Sydney Water estimates the sector could add up to 20 to 25% to Greater Sydney's water demand by 2035.
Suppliers of dry and adiabatic heat rejection, recycled water treatment and closed-loop systems are well placed under these rules.
Heat and climate
Western Sydney, Perth and inland Queensland have hot summers. Heat rejection equipment must hold capacity on heatwave days, which usually sets the design condition.
AI workload cooling
High-density AI halls combine liquid cooling for GPUs with air cooling for residual heat and other equipment. Cooling contractors increasingly need to deliver both, plus the facility water loops that serve CDUs.
Australian Cooling Suppliers
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| Type | Typical scope |
|---|---|
| Mechanical services contractors | Design and construct, installation of chilled water and air systems |
| Equipment manufacturers and distributors | Chillers, CRAH/CRAC, dry coolers, cooling towers |
| Controls specialists | BMS, cooling optimisation |
| Water treatment | Chemical and non-chemical treatment for cooling water |
| Maintenance providers | Planned maintenance for critical cooling plant |
Selecting a Supplier
- Critical environment experience. Work in live data halls where shutdowns aren't an option.
- Redundancy design. Ability to demonstrate failover performance during commissioning.
- Water strategy. Experience with low-water, recycled-water or closed-loop systems that meet current state requirements.
- High-density readiness. Capability with facility water loops for liquid cooling.
- Service coverage. Maintenance response times and spare parts held locally, in the city where the facility is.
- Lead times. Chiller and heat rejection lead times, and the supplier's ability to hold production slots.
Current Project Demand
- New AI-oriented builds specify liquid cooling with closed loops: NEXTDC M4 and S7, CDC Perth, Macquarie IC3 Super West.
- Large campuses in Western Sydney and Melbourne's west carry the largest mechanical packages.
- New Victorian applications must meet the September 2026 water rules, which will shape equipment selection.
- Operating facilities generate ongoing maintenance and retrofit work as densities rise.
Relevant Data Centre Projects
| Project | Cooling detail (public) | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| Mamre Road campus | 936 cooling units; ~22.4 ML/year water | Amended SSD |
| NEXTDC M4 | Recycled water; direct-to-chip | Approved |
| CDC Perth | Closed loop; zero water for primary cooling | Construction |
| CDC KC1 | Cooling plant included | SEARs |
| Western Downs Digital Park | 100% air-cooled (reported) | DA lodged |
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Grow Your Data Centre Pipeline
Cooling specifications are being reset by AI densities and new water rules. AISB helps cooling contractors and suppliers reach developers and consultants while designs are still being decided.
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