The KOMINFO National Data Center is a Tier 4 facility developed for Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, spanning approximately 16,000 sqm across a five-hectare site in Cikarang, Bekasi, West Java. Designed and built by Archetype, the project is one of the most strategically significant digital infrastructure developments in the country, built to centralise government data and support Indonesia’s digital economy at the highest level of reliability. The facility was designed to achieve TIA-942 Tier 4 certification alongside GBCI Platinum and Utama BGH green building certifications, setting a new benchmark for sustainable critical infrastructure in the region.
Addressing data centre noise control for a facility of this scale presented challenges that extended well beyond standard building practice. The outdoor equipment layout placed generators and cooling towers on either side of the data hall, which itself was not centred within the plot. Cooling towers produce significantly broader data centre noise emissions than generators, and their asymmetric positioning required careful directional analysis to assess the impact on both plot boundaries and the adjacent office building. The continuous 24/7 operation of ventilation systems, combined with generators running during outages and planned maintenance, added further complexity to achieving compliance with Indonesian environmental noise regulations. At the same time, the project required interior acoustic conditions suited to a fully occupied workspace, covering a wide range of functions from open offices and meeting rooms to an auditorium and a triple-height lobby.
We were appointed to deliver a comprehensive noise impact assessment mission covering both outdoor noise emissions and interior acoustic comfort, accompanying the project from design through to acceptance.
The initial scope focused on outdoor noise modelling through advanced 3D environmental simulation. This allowed us to analyse the directional impact of each equipment type and strategically reorganise the outdoor layout to balance data center noise levels across both sides of the plot, improving compliance efficiency and reducing the level of acoustic treatment required on individual machines. A subsequent assessment addressed the redirected noise impact on the adjacent office building facade. The scope then extended to cover all interior spaces, including workspaces, meeting rooms, private offices, the auditorium, canteen and triple-height lobby. For each space, acoustic criteria were defined and integrated solutions proposed, ensuring that performance aligned with the demands of a high-occupancy professional environment operating alongside critical technical infrastructure.
Our noise impact assessment strategy delivered a complete solution addressing both the operational demands of a national Tier 4 facility and the comfort requirements of its occupied workspaces. By resolving outdoor emission compliance through equipment repositioning at the design stage, we significantly reduced the need for corrective measures during construction, generating both time and cost efficiency for the project team. The adjacent office building was protected from redirected data centre noise through targeted assessment and mitigation recommendations.
Across the interior, acoustic conditions were defined and achieved for every functional space, from the auditorium and meeting rooms to the open workspaces and lobby, creating an environment where people worked with clarity and focus alongside the constant presence of critical infrastructure. The project demonstrated how data centre acoustics integrated from the earliest design stages could resolve complex compliance and comfort challenges simultaneously, within a facility that set a new standard for sustainable critical infrastructure in Indonesia.
