How Customization Powers Healthy Buildings, Energy Savings & Data Center Performance
You wouldn’t buy a one-size-fits-all suit, and your building shouldn’t wear one either. Air handling units (AHUs) are the lungs of any facility, but standard units don’t always cut it. With growing demands for healthier buildings and high-performance environments like data centers, custom AHUs are no longer a luxury—they’re a strategic advantage.
We spend 90% of our time indoors, breathing air that can be 2–5x more polluted than outdoor air.
What Is a custom air handling Unit?
A custom air handling unit (AHU) is a system specifically engineered to meet the unique environmental, spatial, and performance requirements of a building or facility. Unlike standard AHUs, which are pre-sized and limited in flexibility, custom AHUs provide tailored solutions with features such as precision airflow control, modular components, and integration with advanced filtration, humidity regulation, and noise control. These systems are particularly beneficial for data centers, healthcare facilities, high-occupancy buildings, and other mission-critical environments that demand precise and reliable climate management.
Benefit #1: Healthier Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
One key benefit of custom AHUs is the ability to achieve healthier indoor air quality (IAQ). This is especially important for meeting standards like WELL Certification, protecting sensitive equipment, and promoting overall occupant wellness. Custom AHUs can be equipped with features such as HEPA or MERV-13+ filtration, humidity control and dehumidification, UV light for pathogen reduction, and pressure controls to prevent cross-contamination. In data centers, cleaner air translates to reduced dust accumulation on IT equipment, minimizing the risk of short circuits and environmental-related shutdowns.
Benefit #2: Energy Efficiency & Cost Savings
Another major benefit of custom AHUs is improved energy efficiency and cost savings. With energy costs on the rise and HVAC systems often being among the highest consumers, optimizing performance is essential. Custom AHUs are tailored to match the specific system load and building layout, significantly reducing energy waste. Key features include variable speed fans, energy recovery systems, right-sized coils and compressors, and smart controls that adjust based on occupancy. For data centers, these energy savings directly impact the bottom line while also supporting LEED certification and broader ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals.
Data centers are projected to consume over 10% of global electricity, due to high HVAC demands.
Benefit #3: Noise Control and Acoustical Performance
A third key benefit of custom AHUs is enhanced noise control and acoustical performance. HVAC systems are a common source of low-frequency noise, which can disrupt occupant focus in buildings and disturb surrounding communities, especially near data centers. Custom AHUs address this issue with features such as specialized acoustical lining and casings, low-noise fans and dampers, and strategic placement and design to prevent vibration transfer. For data centers, these noise-reduction measures help contain disruptive sounds from chillers and air handlers, ensuring compliance with local noise regulations and maintaining good relations with nearby residents.
Benefit #4: Long-Term Value and Maintenance Ease
Custom AHUs also provide long-term value and ease of maintenance. These systems are designed with future access, upgrades, and modularity in mind, helping to reduce costs over the entire lifecycle. Features such as custom panels for easy access to filters and fans, expandable frameworks to accommodate load growth, and components chosen for durability and redundancy all contribute to smoother operation and easier upkeep. For engineers and contractors, custom AHUs simplify installation and reduce challenges for commissioning teams and facilities staff. In data centers, where downtime can cost over $5,600 per minute, the reliability and serviceability of custom AHUs are critical for minimizing breakdowns and speeding up repairs.
Why does this matter right now?
This matters now more than ever as the Healthy Building movement continues to raise expectations for indoor air quality, occupant comfort, and sustainability. At the same time, the rapid expansion of the data center industry—highlighted by major investments like AWS’s $10 billion commitment in Columbus—creates both significant opportunity and heightened competition. In this landscape, custom AHUs play a crucial role by helping facilities strike the right balance between high performance, energy efficiency, and regulatory compliance in some of today’s most demanding environments.
Ketchum & Walton partners with building teams to engineer and commission air handling systems tailored to your needs. We work with engineers, end users, and cloud computing leaders to deliver custom AHU solutions that support wellness, uptime, and energy efficiency. Whether you’re designing a high-performance office or a mission-critical data center—we’re here to help. Click here to contact us today.