Flore Chiang

Shaping standards for next-generation data center architectures

Flore’s work centers on three primary focus areas:

1. High-voltage direct current (HVDC) power architecture safety

As the industry transitions from traditional 48 volts direct current (VDC) power distribution to 800 VDC systems to support extreme power densities and improve efficiency, Flore is leading efforts to develop comprehensive safety frameworks for these architectures. The hazards associated with higher voltage ranges — such as arc flash incident energy, dielectric breakdown and thermal stress — differ significantly from conventional systems. Flore is pioneering new test methods, hazard assessment models and protective device specifications to address these challenges.

2. Advanced thermal management and cooling system integration

Direct-to-chip liquid cooling and other advanced cooling technologies are now essential for supporting 200+ kilowatt-per-rack power densities required by artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. These systems pose risks such as chemical interactions between coolants and materials, thermal shock failure modes, and unintended chemical mixing in distributed systems. Flore’s helping to develop standards that address cooling system design, material compatibility, testing and integration with electrical systems to support safety at scale.

3. Prefabricated MDC standardization and certification

As data centers shift from brick-and-mortar, site-built facilities toward modular, factory-manufactured structures, safety and certification become dramatically more complex. Modules are often manufactured by different vendors in various countries to different specifications and then integrated on site into complex systems. Flore is leading initiatives to create interoperability standards, factory acceptance testing protocols and site integration procedures that promote safety and consistency across this distributed manufacturing model — critical for enabling rapid deployment without compromising safety.

From engineering foundations to strategic leadership and visionary work

Flore’s career at UL Solutions reflects a steady progression from individual contributor and technical leader to strategic adviser, underscoring his commitment to bridging emerging technology and safety. He began in 2002 as an engineering assistant, gaining hands-on experience in product safety certification while building a foundation in electrical and mechanical engineering.

Since becoming a principal engineer in 2014, Flore has combined technical depth with strategic influence. He has led the development of certification frameworks for data center power systems, including DC architectures, and spearheaded the 2025 update of UL 2755, Outline of Investigation for Prefabricated Modular Data Center Systems and Related Modular Units. His work also includes innovative approaches for cooling system certification and close collaboration with hyperscalers to understand emerging needs.

Bridging electrical and mechanical engineering

Flore earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Tamkang University in 2005, focusing on circuit design, signal processing and electronic systems. He also completed undergraduate coursework in mechanical engineering. This dual-discipline background has been a valuable asset throughout Flore’s career, especially now as modern technology — and data center infrastructure in particular — demands integrated thinking across multiple disciplines.