New CDU platform targets AI and high-density workloads

Johnson Controls has announced the launch of its Silent-Aire Coolant Distribution Unit (CDU) platform for data centres.

According to Johnson Controls, the CDU units are designed to help facilities transition to liquid cooling as rack densities increase, particularly with AI workloads and semiconductor applications.

The company explained that the Silent-Aire CDU platform offers capacities from 500kW to more than 10MW, with flexible designs to suit different deployment sizes and layouts.

It added that the units can be positioned in-row or at the whitespace perimeter to enable hybrid cooling approaches.

Austin Domenici, vice president and general manager of Data Center Solutions at Johnson Controls, said: “The launch of this expanded series of CDU technology marks a pivotal step in our commitment to advance data center cooling, from chip to chiller.

“By collaborating with leading ecosystem players in the hyperscale, colocation and semiconductor industry, we’ve engineered an innovative and scalable platform that meets the demands of next-generation AI training and inference hardware, delivering consistent performance and reinforcing our role as a strategic partner to data center professionals scaling for the digital economy.”

Growing demand for thermal management in data centres

Johnson Controls reported that increasing computing power and AI development are producing higher heat loads, making cooling systems a priority for operators.

The company stated that Silent-Aire CDUs allow precise management of heat generated by modern chips, enabling operators to integrate high-performance computing technology without efficiency losses.

It added that the flexibility of the units supports a wide range of cooling configurations, which the company explained was important for both smaller edge deployments and large AI facilities.

Integration with existing Johnson Controls portfolio

Johnson Controls noted that the Silent-Aire CDU launch builds on its wider portfolio of thermal management products, which also includes York and M&M Carnot systems.

The company said these solutions are aimed at improving overall facility efficiency for global data centre operators.

It added that large facilities in North America have often used more than 30% of their energy for cooling and non-IT functions since 2020.

Johnson Controls reported that its systems can cut non-IT energy use by more than 50%, equating to energy savings that could power over 200,000 households each year in a gigawatt-scale facility.

Manufacturing and service capacity across regions

Johnson Controls explained that Silent-Aire CDU units are produced at facilities in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

It said the company operates over 1.8 million square feet of production space to support data centre growth.

The manufacturer added that more than 40,000 field and service technicians provide maintenance and parts support worldwide.

Industry recognition in 2025

Johnson Controls reported that ABI Research named it a top thermal management provider for data centres in 2025.

The organisation highlighted Johnson Controls for innovation and customer-focused implementation in its ranking.

Relevance for fire and safety professionals

Thermal management in data centres directly affects fire safety by reducing overheating risks in high-density IT environments.

Liquid cooling systems such as CDUs help limit the potential for electrical and thermal failures that could trigger fire incidents.

For safety professionals, understanding the deployment of new cooling platforms provides insight into energy management, resilience planning and risk mitigation strategies in critical infrastructure.

Johnson Controls expands data centre cooling with Silent-Aire CDU: Summary

Johnson Controls has launched its Silent-Aire CDU platform for data centres.

The CDU units are designed to enable liquid cooling for high-density racks.

The platform offers scalable capacities from 500kW to more than 10MW.

Austin Domenici of Johnson Controls said the launch advances cooling from chip to chiller.

The CDUs can be positioned in-row or at the whitespace perimeter.

Johnson Controls reported that AI workloads and semiconductors are driving higher cooling demand.

The company said CDUs enable precise heat control for high-performance environments.

The launch expands on Johnson Controls’ York and M&M Carnot systems.

Johnson Controls stated that its solutions can cut non-IT energy use by more than 50%.

The company reported that such savings could power over 200,000 households annually in a large facility.

Manufacturing takes place across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Johnson Controls operates more than 1.8 million square feet of production space.

Over 40,000 technicians provide global service support.

ABI Research named Johnson Controls a top thermal management provider in 2025.

The company was recognised for innovation and customer implementation.