Cloud computing and data center growth is accelerating but facilities cannot be constructed fast enough to meet the insatiable demand for data in today’s digital-first world.

“The amount of data being generated and consumed is nothing short of extraordinary,” said investment management company Blackstone. “Data usage has increased 100 times over the past 15 years, and even more striking, more data has been created in the past three years than in all of history.”

In what Blackstone is calling a generational investment opportunity; investors are pouring resources into artificial intelligence (AI) and digital infrastructure to meet this rising tide of scalable computing.

“As AI continues to gain momentum, this trend will only accelerate. Global cloud migration is still in its early stages, and with revenues from cloud services expected to more than triple in the next five years, data growth will be astronomical,” said Blackstone.

McKinsey & Company says that a big chunk of the demand is for data centers equipped to host advanced-AI workloads and the “nature of those workloads is rapidly transforming where and how data centers are being designed and operated.”

This expansion comes with significant environmental challenges, particularly in energy consumption and water usage. As the industry grapples with these issues, a shift towards more sustainable models is not just desirable but essential for long-term viability and responsible growth.

The Environmental Impact of Data Centers

Data Center Dynamics says that “skyrocketing compute-intensive workloads, new approaches to satisfy higher power requirements, liquid cooling adoption, and efforts in sustainability and efficiency, are anticipated to be key trends that will continue to disrupt data centers in 2025.”

The environmental impact of data centers on both energy consumption and water usage:

• Energy Consumption: Data centers are voracious consumers of energy, currently accounting for about 2 percent of global energy use. This figure is projected to rise to 3-4 percent by 2030, highlighting the urgent need for more efficient and sustainable practices. The energy demands of data centers are primarily driven by the need to power and cool vast arrays of servers and networking equipment.
  
  Explains Data Center Dynamics: “Data centers have significantly contributed to rising electricity demand in many regions. In 2022, data centers and cryptocurrency consumed approximately 460TWh globally, accounting for about two percent of the world's electricity demand. This consumption is projected to exceed 1,000TWh by 2026.”
  
  
• Water Usage: Water consumption is another critical concern for data centers. These facilities account for a growing share of global water withdrawals, with hyperscale facilities using up to 2 million+ liters daily. This significant water usage is particularly problematic in water-stressed regions, where it can exacerbate existing shortages and slow down development.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Grainger College of Engineering says: “Google's hyperscale data centers, which support major services such as Gmail and Google Drive, averaged approximately 550,000 gallons (2.1 million liters) of water per day over the past year. In the US, where the average per capita water withdrawal is 132 gallons per day, a large data center consumes water equivalent to that of 4200 persons.”

The Push for Sustainability

As the environmental impact of data centers becomes increasingly apparent, the industry is responding with a renewed focus on sustainability.

“The cloud is not only material but is also an ecological force. As it continues to expand, its environmental impact increases, even as engineers, technicians, and executives behind its infrastructures strive to balance profitability with sustainability,” writes anthropologist Steven Gonzalez Monserrate in the MIT Press Reader.

This shift towards sustainability is driven by a combination of factors, including:

• Regulatory Pressure: Governments worldwide are implementing stricter regulations on energy use and emissions, pushing data center operators to adopt more sustainable practices.
• Corporate Responsibility: Many companies are setting ambitious sustainability goals, recognizing the importance of environmental stewardship in maintaining public trust and attracting environmentally conscious customers.
• Economic Incentives: Sustainable practices often lead to reduced operational costs in the long run, particularly through energy savings.
• Technological Advancements: Innovations in cooling systems, server efficiency, and renewable energy are making sustainable data center operations more feasible and cost-effective.

Key Strategies for Sustainable Data Centers

Key strategies for sustainable data centers include renewable energy integration, advanced cooling technologies, energy-efficient design, and water conservation methods. Let’s take a closer look:

• Renewable Energy Integration: One of the most significant steps towards sustainability is the increased adoption of renewable energy sources. Many data center operators are committing to powering their facilities with 100 percent renewable energy. This involves:
  o   On-site renewable energy generation (e.g., solar panels, wind turbines).
  o   Power purchase agreements (PPAs) with renewable energy providers.
  o   Investment in off-site renewable energy projects.
  
  
• Advanced Cooling Technologies: Cooling is a major contributor to both energy consumption and water usage in data centers. Innovative cooling solutions are being developed and implemented to address this issue:
  o   Liquid cooling systems that are more efficient than traditional air cooling.
  o   Free cooling techniques that leverage outside air to reduce reliance on mechanical cooling.
  o   Waste heat recovery systems that repurpose excess heat for other uses, such as district heating.
  
  
• Energy-Efficient Design: From the ground up, modern data centers are being designed with energy efficiency in mind:
  o   Optimized server layouts to improve airflow and reduce cooling needs.
  o   Use of energy-efficient hardware and components, including sustainable materials for the building envelope such as insulated metal panels (IMPs).
  o   Implementation of AI and machine learning for dynamic power management.
  
  
• Water Conservation Measures: To address water usage concerns, data centers are implementing various water-saving strategies:
  o   Recycling and reusing water within the facility.
  o   Implementing water-free cooling technologies where possible.
  o   Partnering with local communities to support water conservation efforts.

The Role of Insulated Metal Panels in Sustainable Data Centers

Data center operators are not just looking at infrastructure inside the facility for energy efficiency but also looking at the building envelope where insulated metal panels (IMPs) are a sustainable data center construction solution.

IMPs offer several benefits that align with the industry's move towards sustainability:

• Superior Insulation Performance: High-performance insulation significantly reduces the energy required for cooling, which can account for up to 40 percent of a data center's total energy consumption.
• Continuous Insulation: IMPs provide a continuous insulation barrier. This uninterrupted coverage eliminates weak points in the building envelope, further enhancing energy efficiency.
• Reduced Cooling Load: The excellent thermal performance of IMPs means less heat infiltration from the outside environment. This reduced heat gain translates directly into lower cooling requirements and, consequently, reduced energy consumption and operational costs.
• LEED Certification Support: The energy efficiency of IMPs can contribute significantly to achieving LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.

Sustainable Data Centers: A Necessity Going Forward

The move towards sustainable models in cloud computing and data centers is not just a trend but a necessity.

As the digital economy continues to grow, the environmental impact of data centers cannot be ignored. By embracing renewable energy, innovative cooling solutions, energy-efficient designs, and water conservation measures, the industry is taking significant steps towards a more sustainable future.

 This transition will require ongoing collaboration between technology companies, policymakers, and environmental experts. However, the potential benefits – both for the environment and for the long-term viability of the industry – make this a worthwhile and essential endeavor.

Building sustainable data centers from the ground also requires sustainable materials such as IMPs with their continuous and superior insulation which can reduce cooling loads.

Contact Green Span Profiles today to learn more about how our IMPs, manufactured in America, can help you build the sustainable data center of the future.