EXPERT OPINION
Data centre sustainability begins at the design phase
As organisations , particularly in the data centre sector , strive to meet their net zero goals , sustainability initiatives are crucial to implement into the design phase of a data centre . Niall Killeen , Global Director , Building
Commissioning , CAI , discusses why this is so important and says that it is ultimately the responsibility of data centre designers to continue innovating more sustainable approaches . he data centre industry has experienced significant
T growth over the last two years – estimated to reach over US $ 288 billion by 2027 – as many companies faced a sudden and urgent need for greater cloud technology to continue business operations remotely . This trend has continued due to , in large part , the acceleration of cloud migration and other various factors . As a result , the demand for data centres has continued to grow as major data-producing platforms spread their data centre footprints throughout the world . But as digital footprints grow , so do carbon footprints . As the world continues to become more and more reliant on data centre services , sustainability considerations should always be at the forefront for designers and operators .
There have been significant strides in the progress and development of more efficient and sustainable data centres . Data centre owners and operators are stepping up their efforts to reduce energy consumption with many large companies – such as Amazon , Meta , Google , Equinix and Microsoft – integrating more sustainable features and capabilities into their facilities .
Data centres have been designed to operate more efficiently over time , taking a more comprehensive approach to measuring factors such as Power Usage Effectiveness ( PUE ). However , there is still great progress to be made to maintain a sustainable industry and keep up with ever-changing environmentally responsible demands . Data centres are designed at a point in time ; however , construction can take several years from site selection to achieving operational status . Some designs are deemed appropriate to support resilience and redundancy requirements without taking
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