> I don't think the average person actually knows anything concrete about them.
The average person around them knows quite a bit about the noise level, and how far it carries. They're starting to learn about the effect consistent noise at that level has on their mental & physical well-being as well.
Right, and most people opposing datacenters don't _yet_ have one near them, so they don't have the direct experience yet.
> The average person around them knows quite a bit about the noise level, and how far it carries.
Do they? How much noise do you imagine comes from a data center that isn't operating a gas turbine?
The average person is familiar with sound mitigation enclosures for generators and chillers? I kinda doubt that.
If noise regulations are in place where the data center is being built, companies that make chillers and generators will sell you an enclosure that reduces the sound level to comply with sound regulations. It’s not like these data centers are the first buildings ever to have a lot of generators and chillers installed, all non-AI data centers have plenty of each.
If you live in an unincorporated area and a data center moves in and there’s no sound regulations, then they can do whatever they want, but that’s the risk of living in an unincorporated area.
The Pittsburgh steel mills provided jobs and a sense of purpose to communities.
Something that tech bros fundamentally oppose.
Town by me had a huge outcry about a proposed data center and how it would ruin the area. Funnily enough there's already data centers on the same street!