Zayana Zaikariah was quoted in Malaysiakini.
Written by Ashley Yeong
Like Meta, Tang said, most big players are already taking the sustainability question seriously, anticipating a demand from their clients in the next few years.
He noted that while large hyperscalers often implement their own sustainability measures, smaller data centres require stronger regulatory incentives to operate sustainably.
Zayana Zaikariah, a researcher at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies studying the environmental impact of data centres, agrees.
She noted that large, smaller or newer operators may not meet the same benchmarks as larger, publicly listed operators in sustainability measures.
“The challenge is in ensuring consistent compliance,” she said. “Small players may fall through the cracks, particularly where enforcement is weak or regulations are voluntary.”
Tang is developing the Green Building Index Data Centre New Construction (GBI DNDC) Tool, which scores data centres on sustainability measures, including water efficiency and drought contingency plans.
However, the certification remains voluntary.
While existing water reserves may seem sufficient, he said extreme weather events will pit industries, households, and data centres against each other.
“Once there is a drought, everyone will be fighting for water,” he warned. “The data centres are not going to shut down, so how?”
“Everyone wants the internet, so it’s a matter of developing our data centres sustainably.”
Read more here.
