Given the new year 2024, there are bound to be great predictions and evaluations from the last year. This time we’re looking further out to the year 2030 – now less than 6 years away. What will we see for sustainable buildings, operations, and data centers?
By the year 2030, the trajectory of sustainability in building development is set to redefine our approach to energy consumption. ASHRAE, AIA, USGBC, World Building Council, Google, and other large organizations are committed to net-zero design goals by the end of the decade, with tools, training, and other requirements being pushed into various sectors to enable these goals. The integration of renewable energy sources and advanced energy-efficient technologies will further enable buildings to generate as much energy as they consume, fundamentally transforming the infrastructure landscape. Net-zero energy buildings are poised to become the new standard by 2030; for data centers, this is to be achieved by renewable energy credits, whether accepted as a means of energy offset or not.
Technological Advancements in Energy Efficiency
In the pursuit of net-zero energy, technological innovations will play a pivotal role, including integration with an all-of-the-above strategy: solar; wind; fuel cells; geothermal; etc. Solar photovoltaic systems will become yet more efficient and cost-effective, seamlessly integrated into building facades and rooftops. Advanced energy storage solutions will evolve, ensuring a more consistent supply of energy through peaks and sags. Moreover, smart microgrids and energy management systems will optimize the distribution of energy within buildings, contributing to efficiency based on factoring in demand and predication models.
In the next half-decade, data centers will again transcend their conventional roles of being internet warehouses to become intelligent ecosystems, once again turning from a ‘cost center’ to a net benefit for companies. The further fusion of artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) into the controls and operations will push new boundaries and definitions of smart buildings that continuously adapt to the needs of their occupants – both carbon and silicon based. The data centers of this future will leverage real-time data to optimize energy consumption, lighting, environmental conditions, and more resulting in unparalleled efficiency gains far above other building types by orders of magnitude.
AI-Driven Optimization
AI algorithms will be trained specifically for data centers and will become adept at predicting and responding to the power and cooling behavior within the buildings, from the skin of the exterior to the chip. For instance, machine learning will enable cooling systems to learn component preferences and adjust temperatures that optimize the outside weather conditions and ventilation accordingly, ensuring that minimum conditions are met while minimizing energy use. Advanced occupancy sensors, and plenty more of them, will enhance precision of all controllable systems, further reducing unnecessary energy usage.
IoT Connectivity for Seamless Integration
The integration of IoT devices will be ubiquitous, with everything from lighting fixtures to appliances connected to a centralized system. Data centers will communicate with external environmental data, adjusting their operations in response to weather conditions and grid demands, seeking and learning of ways storage or other offsets with a microgrid can be leveraged to reduce energy. This level of connectivity will not only enhance energy efficiency but also contribute to the creation of more responsive and adaptive living and working spaces for employees, as conditions can be changed automatically as they traverse through the facility.
2030 will mark a profound shift towards circular design principles in building development. Embracing the cradle-to-cradle approach, architects, engineers, and contractors will prioritize materials that can be easily recycled or repurposed. Modular construction techniques that allow smoother implementation of equipment will gain prevalence, enabling the disassembly and reassembly of building components, reducing waste and environmental impact.
The Role of Advanced Materials
Materials science will begin to see more of the rollout of zero-carbon materials used for everything, everywhere. Engineered net-zero products, carbon-negative concrete, and other sustainable alternatives already available will replace traditional construction materials, offering the same ore better durability and quality without the associated environmental costs. The focus on embodied carbon—the total carbon footprint of a material—will be as critical as operational carbon in achieving holistic sustainability.
By 2030, data centers will continue to evolve from mere consumers of energy to active contributors, leveraging energy harvesting technologies to meet their needs as well as for others. Facades equipped with transparent solar panels, piezoelectric flooring that converts footsteps into energy, and wind-capturing structures will become integral to building design, reducing dependence on external power sources. Heat reuse will continue to gain traction, and more partners will be found to take advantage of the free waste heat. Local cooling sources, such as rivers and lakes, will also continue to be utilized to offset energy and water demands further.
Transparent Solar Panels for Building Integration
The development of transparent solar panels will revolutionize architectural design as they are integrated into windows and facades, to capture sunlight without compromising aesthetics. As a result, buildings will seamlessly harness solar energy while maintaining an open and well-lit interior. Data centers may lag in the implementation, but will gain on the lessons learned by other sectors in the building industry.
Piezoelectric Flooring and Kinetic Energy Harvesting
In high-traffic areas, piezoelectric flooring will convert footsteps into electrical energy. The kinetic energy generated by movement within the building will contribute to a microgrid that powers lighting, sensors, and other low-energy devices. This innovation not only enhances sustainability but also promotes the concept of regenerative buildings.
As we march toward 2030, built environment of 2030 will not only be more efficient but also more responsive, adaptive, and reliable. As these advancements take center stage, data centers will become not just monolithic structures housing the internet but active contributors to a sustainable and regenerative future.
