The Data Centre of the Future is a Green Machine
COLOCATION
“ We ’ re at a crossroads , with many challenges and opportunities facing the industry as we know it ”
MATT PULLEN MANAGING DIRECTOR EUROPE , CYRUSONE
COVID-19 : a Shock to the System The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the data centre industry was almost immediate . “ The pandemic forced companies to embrace digitisation in a way many hadn ’ t before , demand for digital services grew and we observed a surge from enterprise adoption of the cloud ,” Pullen explains . “ As such , hyperscalers started to draw down on their reservations to manage the increased demand ,” as well as consolidating their supplier networks to support more tailored solutions to unique problems . Pullen stresses that , as the repercussions of the pandemic continue to affect the global digital economy − and by extension the data centre industry − “ we need to be agile and flexible to meet future challenges .”
The Data Centre of the Future is a Green Machine
“ Sustainability will play a huge part in shaping what the data centre of the future looks like ,” says Pullen .
CyrusOne itself is on track for carbon neutrality across all its facilities by 2040 , and plans to hit that goal a decade early in Europe . Even as demand rises steeply , the need for sustainable data centre design that reduces carbon emissions and water usage is rising with it .
“ As an industry , we consume large amounts of energy worldwide , and recognise our responsibility to reduce the environmental impact that our facilities create and provide solutions compatible with a sustainable future ,” Pullen adds . “ Several of our new development sites , such as Dublin I and Amsterdam I , now have biodiversity and landscaping plans including native planting , wetland areas and wildflower meadows to create natural habitats and food sources for pollinators .”
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