When Spa coordinated our client, Schneider Electric’s press event in partnership with Queen Mary University of London and APT, I didn’t expect to leave with a fresh new perspective on the potential for our digital ecosystem to drive sustainability and environmental change. With the UK making significant steps towards net zero, this event was a starting point in changing the narrative for our newly recognised Critical National Infrastructure towards a digital future.
The day kicked off with Mark Yeeles from Schneider Electric, who immediately focused on data centre growth away from energy consumption, addressing the challenges in the skills gap, and how forging new partnerships can assist in our sustainability initiatives. But what was interesting with the collaboration with universities and communities being the foundation for progress, which was what APT and QMUL’s presentation was all about, looking at their new district heating projects!
Another presentation that important to note was from Xela Energy, which emphasised the need for clean power as a catalyst for the UK’s green transition. Kao Data’s Lizzy McDowell was a hugely insightful presentation, focusing on the social responsibility aspect of the digital industry, from STEM initiatives to community funds – Lizzy reminded us how the digital infrastructure we have must serve the community as much as support the drive to net zero.
After this, David Rimmer from Schneider Electric, explored microgrids and their potential to make data centre generators of renewable energy, which was interesting hearing his examples and how transformative this could be for resiliency and efficiency. Mark Bjornsgaard, DeepGeen was next reframing waste heat as a valuable public resource instead of just a byproduct.
One presentation that was inspiring to hear was from Dame Dawn Childs at Pure Data Centres Group, where she showcased how net-zero goals can be achieved from the foundational design, with living walls and biochar materials as proof that sustainable design can leave a lasting impact.
To wrap up the event, Schneider Electric’s Ian Humphrey discussed AI-powered predictive maintenance, which might sound niche in the industry, but addressed a big challenge in how AI can be used to predict and prevent failures so less human intervention, further straining the talent gap.
But what did I learn from the event?
- Data centres what we all rely on, and policymakers must integrate this infrastructure into national strategies to future-proof our digital ecosystem.
- We need to change how we see data centres – Today, data centres are often portrayed as energy-intensive. But what I learnt from our speakers showed was that by educating people’s perception, the industry can grow!
- Sustainability is vital for digital transformation!
Leaving the event, we’ve been handed the opportunity to see our digital ecosystem differently, and the people leading this change are what counts! At Spa, we’re proud to support our clients in reshaping the way data centres are seen, and its great that we are paving the way for data centres to be seen as drivers for technological innovation and environmental ambitions.
