Irving, TX Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Noise Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 22-3(a)(14), Ord. 2024-11013
- Generator maintenance/testing barred
- 7:00 p.m. to 7:59 a.m.
- Data-center generators
- Not "residential mechanical devices"
- Residential HVAC cap, § 22-3(a)(11)
- 85 dBA
- Enforcement
- Irving police / code enforcement
Summary
Irving's noise code singles out standby generators at data centers: they cannot be tested or run for maintenance between 7:00 p.m. and 7:59 a.m., and are expressly excluded from the 85 dBA allowance that covers residential mechanical equipment.
(14) Standby power generators. Generators must be installed and operated only in accordance with manufacturer's specifications and in accordance with permitting standards and approvals as established by the city's inspection department. Additionally, for the purposes of this code, standby generators (including those at data centers or other commercial/industrial properties) are not considered "residential mechanical devices" and may not be tested or operated for maintenance between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 7:59 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4988517; v32 updated 2026-07-30).
Full Breakdown
Irving City Code § 22-3(a)(14) names data centers directly. Standby generators must be installed and operated only in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and under permitting standards and approvals set by the city's Inspections Department. The code states that standby generators "including those at data centers or other commercial/industrial properties" are not "residential mechanical devices," so the 85 dBA cap in subsection (a)(11) that covers HVAC, refrigeration, and ventilation equipment does not apply to them. Those generators may not be tested or operated for maintenance between 7:00 p.m. and 7:59 a.m. Chapter 22 is enforced by Irving police and code enforcement officers.
Violations & Fines
Testing or running a data-center standby generator for maintenance between 7:00 p.m. and 7:59 a.m., or operating one outside manufacturer specifications or without required Inspections Department approval, is a per se violation of the noise chapter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Irving set a fixed decibel cap for data-center noise?
When can a data center run its backup generator?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Irving
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Irving to another location·View the Texas data centers & crypto mining overview
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