Demand from AI, hyperscalers and cloud computing platforms, continues to drive significant demand for data centres. Yet for owners and operators, achieving this build out is increasingly constrained by growing environmental pressures. As demand for data centres continues to grow, Arup is helping clients address the challenge of reducing whole-life carbon through circular thinking. In this article, experts explore how circularity can help lower emissions and create more sustainable digital infrastructure.
While operational carbon from electricity use has previously dominated emissions, the decarbonisation of the grid is shifting focus to embodied carbon, the emissions from materials and construction throughout a data centre’s lifecycle. With MEP systems contributing up to 88% of embodied carbon, measuring it is essential. Without quantifying, there’s no path to accountability or meaningful reduction in whole life carbon.
One way to address whole life carbon emissions, is for the data centre to adopt circular economy principles to facilities design, development, operation and refurbishment. As data centre clients grow their footprint, it’s vital to find a way to increase operational sustainability in new and existing facilities.
Embracing circularity offers a solution. By identifying Carbon hotspots, prioritising efficient MEP design, designing for long-term adaptability and reuse, optimising material use through prefabrication, and sourcing low-carbon, biobased materials, data centres can significantly lower their environmental impacts.
We have developed a four-pillar circularity framework that rethinks how facilities are built, used, and resourced. It emphasises the value and potential of retrofit, extends long-term adaptability, drives up material efficiency, and prioritise low-carbon sourcing of materials and technology.
This is a new approach, built on proven design principles. We want to collaborate with clients and partners who are ready to pilot these strategies – and set new benchmarks for sustainable digital infrastructure.