Data centres are some of the most critical, valuable and fast growing infrastructure that countries, economies and societies depend on. Demand for new data centres is expanding rapidly worldwide. Best practice is also evolving at speed, in terms of design, build, operation and renewal.

If meeting the demand for data services is hard, operators, local authorities, designers, engineers and technologists also face a complex set of questions as they invest and develop their data centre estates. Sourcing renewable energy, making responsible and sustainable use of water and other natural resources, remaining flexible for rapidly changing technical demands, navigating planning and consents – the list is long and growing.

Report series: Data Centre Futures

In a series of new reports, Arup’s Foresight team and wider community of data centre experts consider the changing ways that data centres shape urban life, not only through their environmental footprint or role in regeneration, but also in develop technologically, remain efficient over time, and deliver lasting value.

This work examines different aspects of data centres’ lifecycle in detail, revealing new insights into their future development. For anyone interested in the future of digital infrastructure, from data centre operators to designers, engineers, policymakers, urbanists, technologists and sustainability advocates, Data Centre Futures is essential reading.

Download the latest issue: water

The water issue

Though not used universally, water remains a common cooling method in data centres and one increasingly under scrutiny amid growing water scarcity, climate volatility, and community concern. We explore how reducing water use and responding to water constraints can spark innovation in site selection, cooling technologies, and circular resource strategies. Could data centres become ‘water-positive’– restoring hydrological systems, supporting biodiversity, and strengthening environmental resilience? There are many new approaches for the sector.

The water issue
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Upcoming issues

The energy issue - October

Data centres’ energy use is growing fast, driven by AI’s growing computational demands, and the current shortfall in renewable-generated electricity poses a major challenge for the sector. We explore how data centres could shift from passive consumers to active participants in the energy system, supporting clean technology development and grid resilience. We look at how the sector’s energy footprint could develop from now out to the year 2040 including different roles data infrastructure could play in economies’ ongoing energy transition.

The community issue - November

As data centres expand, their presence in towns and cities is becoming more visible, prompting public debate about land, energy and water use. We explore how thoughtful planning could enable data centres to contribute more than they consume, socially, environmentally, and economically. From a design and planning perspective, our researchers ask if data centres became more apparent and recognised parts of our towns and cities – playing a more active role in the communities that surround them.

The technology issue - January

Technology’s rapid iterative development means that data centre operators must meet today’s demands while remaining ready for tomorrow’s higher performing hardware and software. To achieve this, flexibility must be designed-in from the start: from strategies to systems to structures. Our technologists look at ways for owners and operators to maintain alignment between performance, flexibility and commercial priorities.

The materials issue - February

Lithium, copper, aluminium, steel, concrete… Data centres require large amounts of critical resources. Technology companies are now exploring timber as a viable option, and our experts examine the material challenges and opportunities ahead, from sustainability to cost and performance. Could data centres eventually embody a regenerative development ethos? It would be a major shift but strengthen the sector’s ‘license to operate’ as competition for resources, water and energy intensify across the world.