Preliminary Life Cycle Assessment of a High- Performance Computing Data Center: A Case Study of the HPC4AI Facility at the University of Turin

Authors: Lavinia Chiara Tagliabue, Viviana Vaccaro, Alessadro Zichi, Robert Birke, Marco Aldinucci.

Abstract: High-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) data centers are increasingly recognized as critical infrastructures for scientific research, yet they are also associated with significant environmental burdens due to their high energy intensity and rapid technological obsolescence. Traditional performance metrics such as Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) primarily capture operational efficiency and fail to account for embodied impacts related to construction, equipment manufacturing, and component replacement. This study presents a preliminary Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the HPC4AI data center at the University of Turin, conducted in accordance with ISO 14040–44 [1] and structured using the EN 15978 modular framework. The assessment adopts a screening-level, attributional LCA with a 30-year reference study period, integrating primary inventory data derived from seven detailed design and equipment schedules covering architectural elements, IT infrastructure, electrical systems, lighting, and cooling equipment. Life-cycle impacts are quantified for the modules A1–A3 (product stage), B4 (replacement due to technological obsolescence), and B6 (operational energy use), while other modules are structurally included as placeholders. Global warming potential (GWP) is used as the impact indicator, with multiple electricity mix scenarios applied to evaluate operational sensitivity. Results indicate that operational electricity use (Module B6) is the dominant contributor to life-cycle GWP, confirming findings from recent HPC and AI data center LCAs. However, embodied impacts associated with IT and cooling equipment manufacturing and replacement (A1–A3 + B4) represent a substantial secondary contribution, with replacement impacts of comparable magnitude to initial construction. A component-level ranking reveals that servers, UPS systems, and core cooling equipment are the principal sources of embodied emissions, while architectural components contribute marginally. The study highlights the critical role of electricity decarbonization, hardware lifetime management, and circular strategies in reducing the environmental footprint of academic HPC facilities. Despite its screening nature, the LCA provides a robust baseline for future refined assessments and supports the integration of life-cycle thinking into the design and governance of research-oriented data centers.

Keywords: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), data centers, Global Warming Potential (GWP), Embodied and operational emissions