Data centres are the unseen powerhouses of our digital world – but AI is pushing their operational limits. Adrian Oxley explains how, by designing policies that reflect engineering realities and specific needs during and after construction, FM can help data centres remain resilient as demand surges.
Technology is so intertwined in our daily lives that most of us would have a difficult time functioning without it. When we turn on a tap or flip a light switch, we expect the water and electricity to be there any time we need it.
The same is true for our technology tools – we all rely on our phones, computers and other smart devices to be there for us 24/7.
Behind the scenes, supporting our technology-dependent lifestyles are data centres. Without them, our digital world would grind to a halt. Yet amid a boom in AI and cloud computing, as well as the increasing use of technology-driven solutions for everything from cars and home functions to our work and social lives, we’re piling on heavier and heavier loads for our data centre industry to support.
As a result, data centres are experiencing unprecedented growth.
The world is generating an increasing amount of digital data each year, setting the stage for substantial growth in the global data centre construction market. According to ResearchAndMarkets.com, data center construction in North America will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.1% through 2030.
This rapid growth creates opportunities – but also new risks.
DOWNTIME IS COSTLY
Data centres support critical systems and infrastructure that can’t shut down – the data centre industry promises its customers reliability and ‘uptime’.
It is crucial to develop and implement strategies to proactively address risks and prevent costly disruptions. The industry must implement forward-thinking measures to maintain and protect data centre facilities.
We’ve seen a range of incidents negatively impacting data centres, including fires, explosions, floods, and cooling system and power failures. And downtime costs can escalate rapidly.
“It is crucial to consider the wide range of risks that a data centre faces from the very beginning of development”
Adrian Oxley is digital and semiconductor principal engineer at commercial property insurer FM, which works with around 1,100 data centres globally, with an insurable value of $250bn. He stresses the importance of integrating resilience at all stages of a data centre’s life cycle, starting at the onset of a project.
“From design plans and construction materials to location and natural hazard exposure, it is crucial to consider the wide range of risks that a data centre faces from the very beginning of development,” Oxley says.
He notes that the rapid pace of change in the data centre industry as it grows to meet skyrocketing demand requires constant research and advancement to ensure protection and prevention measures evolve as well.
Data centre protection includes complex components such as Li-Ion uninterruptible power supply systems and immersion cooling systems, plus risk mitigation strategies for data centre equipment protection, including fire suppression systems, environmental controls, power management and physical security.
RESILIENCE RESEARCH NEVER STOPS
FM sees what others don’t, and can protect data centres in ways others can’t.
FM helps clients address challenges head-on by partnering with them to navigate the huge opportunities and fast-evolving risks. At FM’s research facilities around the world, teams are investigating solutions to enhance resilience in this evolving data centre landscape.
“Through FM’s research, we are discovering and providing solutions for data centres to minimize risk but also maximize their ability to prevent incidents from occurring,” Oxley says. “Outages are not tolerated in this industry.”
To find out more about FM’s data centres offering, visit www.fm.com/datacenters.