The An Khanh Data Center is part of Viettel’s strategy to expand Vietnam’s digital infrastructure and support the rapid growth of AI computing and cloud services. Located on the outskirts of Hanoi, the facility is designed as a Tier 3 data center capable of hosting high-density computing systems while ensuring operational reliability.
Because data centers operate continuously and rely on powerful cooling systems and backup generators, environmental noise management was a key design challenge from the early stages. The project site is located in an urban environment surrounded by residential buildings and office spaces, making compliance with local environmental noise regulations essential. Major acoustic challenges included controlling noise from rooftop cooling equipment, ventilation systems, and high-power diesel generators used for backup power. The facility also required careful planning of air intake and exhaust systems, which can act as direct noise propagation paths toward the surrounding environment. Ensuring compliance with the Vietnamese regulation (QCVN 26:2010/BTNMT) — particularly the strict 55 dB(A) nighttime limit in residential areas — was therefore critical to prevent disturbance to nearby occupants and to secure regulatory approval.
To address these challenges, we delivered a comprehensive acoustic consultancy for this data center, combining field measurements, acoustic modelling, and mitigation design.
Our work began with baseline environmental noise measurements, carried out during daytime and nighttime periods to establish reference conditions around the project site. Measurements were performed and analyzed to determine the typical background noise levels around the site, providing a reliable reference for evaluating the future data center noise.
We then developed a detailed 3D acoustic model of the data center using iNoise simulation software in accordance with ISO 9613 outdoor sound propagation standards. This model evaluated the noise contribution of major technical systems, including cooling towers, primary air units, condenser units, ventilation fans, and diesel generators.
We analyzed different operating situations, including the normal operation of rooftop cooling equipment and generator maintenance, which is typically the loudest scenario. Based on these studies, we recommended several noise control solutions, including 1.8-meter silencers on the air intake and exhaust systems, acoustic louvers on façade openings, and sound-absorbing materials inside the generator rooms and ventilation corridors to limit noise propagation outside the building.
The acoustic modelling confirmed that the proposed mitigation strategies enable the project to achieve full compliance with Vietnamese environmental noise regulations at the site boundary.
During normal operation, the noise generated by rooftop cooling equipment was predicted to reach approximately 50 dB(A) at the project boundary, remaining well below both daytime and nighttime regulatory limits. The analysis also demonstrated that rooftop noise remains lower than the existing environmental noise levels measured on site, minimizing perceptible impact on nearby residents.
The generator maintenance scenario, typically the loudest operational condition, was carefully optimized through a combination of silencers, acoustic louvers, and enclosed exhaust chimneys. Simulations showed that the resulting noise level at the nearest boundary remains below the 70 dB(A) daytime regulatory threshold, ensuring compliance during scheduled generator testing.
By integrating acoustic design early in the engineering process, our work helped the project team control environmental noise risks, optimize equipment configuration, and secure regulatory compliance while supporting the development of one of the next-generation AI-ready data centers in Vietnam.
