Data Centers: Roadmap to sustainability

Technological Scenarios for a Strategic Infrastructure at Smart Building Expo

Data centers are at the core of the digital age, yet their energy consumption is one of the main environmental concerns. These facilities require enormous amounts of power to run servers, cooling systems, and network infrastructure, contributing to CO₂ emissions and the depletion of natural resources.

Energy consumption data for data centers in Italy is rising rapidly, with forecasts indicating a significant increase in the coming years—from around 430 MW today to 1 GW by 2026, according to a study by the Energy & Strategy Group of the Politecnico di Milano. This growth is driven by increasing power demand, particularly to support artificial intelligence.

New technologies are offering promising solutions to make data centers more sustainable. The use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind is growing, helping reduce environmental impact. In addition, innovations such as immersion cooling, energy efficiency optimization, and AI-based resource management help lower energy consumption. Modular design and the use of more sustainable materials also contribute to improving the overall sustainability of these facilities.

This strategic topic will be at the center of an important workshop organized by Smart Building Expo on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 19. The workshop will benefit from the consultancy of Deerns Italia, one of the leading design firms in the sector in Italy, and from the partnership with ZOTUP, a sector leader in lightning and surge protection systems for over 30 years.