Case Study: University of Melbourne achieves 20% energy savings with Vertiv Liebert EC Fan Upgrade Service

University of Melbourne - Customer Case Study

The University of Melbourne engaged Vertiv to address inefficiencies in two UPS rooms that support its IT server rooms. Facing ageing CRAC units and driven by campus sustainability goals, the university contracted Vertiv’s Liebert® EC Fan Upgrade Service to assess potential power savings and retrofit the CRAC units with more efficient fans.

Vertiv installed Liebert EC (electronically commutated) fans with Liebert iCOM Controls, replacing belt-driven motors with direct-drive permanent magnet motors to reduce input power while maintaining cooling performance. Pre- and post-upgrade monitoring showed roughly a 165 kWh reduction per CRAC unit over the seven-day test (about 16–20% energy savings), estimated to save ~$40/week (~$2,000/year) and about 34,400 kWh annually across all four units; Vertiv also delivered lower maintenance and improved reliability.

University of Melbourne