Data centres are a key part of the overall digital economy. As facilities that house IT servers, they’re designed to store and process vast amounts of data while being supported by infrastructure such as power, cooling and backup generators.
Data centre operators provide systems and equipment to process, store and manage data, with mechanical or liquid cooling systems used to reduce the heat generated by the hardware.
Data centres are critical to our everyday life as they process data associated with mobile phone apps, scrolling Instagram, video calls, using the internet, saving documents at work or streaming your favourite Netflix series.
They are now facilitating AI and are a crucial infrastructure component in the global AI race.
Data centres are critical to Australia’s digital future. The growing use of AI, ongoing use of internet, migration to cloud based systems and other digital technologies will result in ongoing demand for data storage.
Population growth will also result in further internet and other digital use. It is estimated that Australians could also have up to 2.1 more internet-connected devices in the home by 2030.
There is a need for around $26 billion investment in new data centres in Australia to meet expected capacity by 2030.
Data centres generate electricity and water demands, and power generated by the IT and infrastructure load is a key site selection challenge.
It is suggested that global data centre electricity demand is expected to increase to 500 gigawatts by 2050, when in 2024 the demand was 45.3 gigawatts.
Whilst data centres may seem energy hungry, a holistic perspective is needed as they account for 1% of Australia’s total electricity consumption.
Co-locating computers/servers within data centres saves energy. It is estimated that, by comparison, traditional on-site servers would use approximately 70% more electricity (or the equivalent of powering 280,000 homes).
Some data centres also offset power usage through renewable energy, including wind and solar.
The rise of AI, cloud computing and digital platforms will drive sustained demand. While Sydney currently leads with the most data centres, planned submarine cable connections to Melbourne are expected to enhance Melbourne as a data centre hub. The growing use of AI is also increasing the capacity and performance requirements of data centres.
As the data centre industry continues to grow, they will become more prevalent in Australian communities. These facilities produce far less dust and air pollutants compared to traditional industrial developments and the noise generated by plant equipment can be carefully mitigated by acoustic screening.
Unlike other industrial or commercial developments that offer onsite employment, data centres generate minimal traffic.
Overall, data centres have a relatively low impact on the community.
It is integral that a dedicated team of consultants work in conjunction with the project architect.
Data centres are bespoke and require careful internal and external design with input from a range of specialist experts.
Experts in town planning, transport engineering, landscape architecture and acoustic engineering who are familiar with the intricacies of data centre design, including access, security, fencing and landscaping, are integral to the process.
Ratio can provide planning, transport, landscape architecture and waste management advice for data centres. We are experienced in obtaining data centre approvals and providing due diligence advice, with offices in Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney and Brisbane providing expertise across Australia.
