Asia-Pacific Data Centre Association pushes for stronger sustainability frameworks
Pushed by cloud fostering, electronic services and artificial intelligence (AI), local demand for information centres is forecasted to grow nearly 20% annually through 2028. The International Energy Agency (IEA) anticipations that Southeast Asia’s data centre electricity use will almost double by 2030 compared to 2024– a trend mirrored throughout the bigger APAC region.
Among the examples cited is Singapore’s BCA-IMDA Green Mark for Data Centres (GMDC)– a certification system jointly created by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) to recognise data centres with strong sustainability functionality and energy-efficient strategies.
The APDCA members involve leading international providers, such as AirTrunk, Equinix, Digital Realty, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, and Princeton Digital Group.
Labelled Data Centres and Energy Sustainability: A Regional Perspective on Best Practices and Policy Frameworks, the paper was released on Oct 27 and lays out approaches to reduce the environmental impact of data centers while satisfying the rising need for digital infrastructure in Asia-Pacific (APAC).
The white paper highlights best methods to enhance energy efficiency throughout the data centre lifecycle– from site option, design and building to operations and monitoring. It additionally suggests policy steps to accelerate accessibility to clean and renewable energy through stronger grid framework and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).
” Balancing power sustainability with the increasing need for digital infrastructure is among APAC’s defining difficulties,” claims Jeremy Deutsch, chair of APDCA. “With the best policy frameworks, Asia-Pacific governments can guarantee that digital transformation advancements hand in hand with net-zero ambitions.”
The Asia-Pacific Data Centre Association (APDCA) has launched a new white paper calling for stronger policy and sector cooperation to boost energy sustainability across data facilities in the area.
Developers are urged to collaborate closely with regulators and sector associates to develop consistent power efficiency standards throughout the APAC markets.
