Asia-Pacific Data Centre Association pushes for stronger sustainability frameworks

The Asia-Pacific Data Centre Association (APDCA) has launched a new white paper calling for stronger policy and sector partnership to improve energy sustainability throughout data facilities in the area.

” Balancing energy sustainability with the increasing need for digital facilities is just one of APAC’s defining difficulties,” claims Jeremy Deutsch, chair of APDCA. “With the right policy frameworks, Asia-Pacific governments can guarantee that digital improvement advances hand in hand with net-zero ambitions.”

Amongst the examples cited is Singapore’s BCA-IMDA Green Mark for Data Centres (GMDC)– a qualification plan jointly created by the Infocomm Media Growth Authority (IMDA) and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) to recognise data facilities with strong performance and energy-efficient process.

Newport Residences condominium

The APDCA participants involve leading international providers, such as AirTrunk, Equinix, Digital Realty, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, and Princeton Digital Group.

Pushed by cloud adoption, digital companies and artificial intelligence (AI), regional need for data hubs is projected to grow nearly 20% each year through 2028. The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that Southeast Asia’s data centre electricity use will almost double by 2030 compared to 2024– a pattern mirrored across the wider APAC area.

The white paper emphasize best practices to enhance power performance throughout the data centre lifecycle– from location selection, design and building and construction to operations and monitoring. It also recommends policy actions to accelerate accessibility to clean and renewable energy through stronger grid infrastructure and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).

Property developers are motivated to work together very closely with regulatory authorities and industry partners to develop constant energy performance requirements across the APAC markets.

Titled Data Centres and Energy Sustainability: A Regional Perspective on Best Practices and Policy Frameworks, the paper was launched on Oct 27 and outlines strategies to minimize the environmental influence of information facilities whilst meeting the surging requirement for electronic structure in Asia-Pacific (APAC).