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Durham College has contributed to new worldwide analysis that critically assesses the intricate relationship between city digitization and sustainability, specializing in the numerous environmental impression of information facilities.
Dr. Karen Lai from the Geography division has co-authored a research on methods to make knowledge facilities extra sustainable, significantly in land- and water-scarce areas going through local weather dangers.
The ever-growing digitization of our economies, comparable to social media, government services and AI improvements, require highly effective computer systems housed in massive buildings referred to as knowledge facilities.
These facilities run across the clock and use massive quantities of electrical energy and water to maintain their gear cool and functioning. The demand for knowledge facilities is projected to develop exponentially, additional stressing power, land, and water sources.
Published within the journal npj City Sustainabilitythe research warns that, with out pressing motion, knowledge facilities may considerably improve international carbon emissions and worsen the consequences of local weather change.
International knowledge middle sustainability
The research targeted on Singapore, a rustic identified for its high-tech financial system and restricted pure sources.
To deal with the rising environmental impression of information facilities, Singapore launched strict guidelines in 2019 to cease the development of recent facilities.
Synergies and trade-offs between financial and environmental objectives in stewarding a sustainable transition of information centres (Supply: The authors, based mostly on knowledge from coverage and company paperwork, interviews, and stakeholder engagement workshops.). Credit score: npj City Sustainability (2025). Two: 10.1038/S42949-025-00203-1
These guidelines have been later adjusted in 2022 to permit improvement provided that new environmental requirements have been met. These requirements embrace higher energy efficiencygreater use of renewable power, and good designs suited to sizzling and humid climate.
Singapore’s revolutionary strategy gives invaluable insights for different international locations going through comparable challenges in managing sustainable knowledge middle progress.
The research supplies suggestions for stakeholders to align the transition of the information middle sector with broader local weather resilience, good metropolis improvement, and sustainable finance objectives.
Dr. Karen Lai was one of many lead researchers within the research.
Working with colleagues from universities in Singapore and the UK, Dr. Lai’s analysis recognized how technological innovationcoverage, finance, and skilled workers are very important elements in constructing extra sustainable digital infrastructure.
The crew employed a mixed-method design involving desk-based analysis of presidency and business paperwork, semi-structured interviews with 59 stakeholders, and two workshops with 150 business and coverage members to scale back the environmental impacts of information facilities and foster a really sustainable digital future.
Extra info:
Felicia H. M. Liu et al, Decarbonising digital infrastructure and concrete sustainability within the case of information centres, npj City Sustainability (2025). Two: 10.1038/S42949-025-00203-1
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Durham University
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Greener digital infrastructure: Examine suggests methods to make sustainable knowledge facilities in climate-vulnerable areas (2025, April 28)
retrieved 28 April 2025
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