HVAC stands for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. HVAC systems control the surroundings (temperature, humidity, air flow and air filtering) and is planned for and operated along with other data centre components such as computing hardware, cabling, data storage, fire protection, physical security systems and power.

Almost all IT hardware comes with environmental requirements that include acceptable temperature and humidity ranges. These requirements are usually described in product specifications or physical planning guides. An HVAC system must take into account all environmental requirements across the full spectrum of devices, along with applicable fire, safety, security and ecological concerns.