Sustainability

STT GDC reinforces commitment to sustainability

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC), one of the world's fastest-growing data centre colocation services providers headquartered in Singapore, has announced the release of its enhanced Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework (SLFF). This update builds on the company's ongoing commitment to achieving carbon-neutral data centre operations by 2030, with more rigorous targets that align its financing strategies with even more impactful sustainability goals. First introduced in July 2022, the SLFF is a key component of STT GDC's Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy. This framework facilitates the structuring of STT GDC's financing, where applicable, in the form of Sustainability-Linked Financing Transactions (SLFTs) including, but not limited to, Sustainability-Linked Bonds (SLBs) including Sustainability-linked Perpetuals (SLPs), and Sustainability-Linked Loans (SLLs). The company successfully issued the first-ever Sustainability-Linked perpetual securities in Asia under this framework in January 2024. The enhanced SLFF demonstrates the company's dedication to more ambitious sustainability goals and upholds STT GDC's sustainability commitments with stringent Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Sustainability Performance Targets (SPTs), ensuring advancement of mid-to long-term sustainability goals. The SLFF was given the independent tick of approval from ESG ratings company, Sustainalytics, which provided Second Party Opinion services for the project. Significant enhancements have been made to the inaugural 2022 framework, advancing STT GDC's sustainability efforts across three key targets: • Renewable energy: Increase the use of renewable energy to 85% by 2028.• Carbon intensity: Achieve a 70% reduction in carbon intensity from the 2021 baseline by 2028.• Green data centres: Expand the proportion of green data centres to 65% by 2028. In addition, the scope of the SLFF has been broadened to include STT GDC's subsidiaries in all of the company's geographies. This expansion reflects its ongoing efforts to ensure that its sustainability commitments are integrated across all operations globally, reinforcing STT GDC's desire to promote sustainable practices within the data centre industry. Bruno Lopez, President and Group CEO, STT GDC, comments, "Sustainability remains a priority for STT GDC, and the refined Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework demonstrates our unwavering commitment to achieving carbon-neutrality in our operations by 2030 and reinforces our position as a leader in driving positive change within the data centre industry. This framework is essential to our strategy, aligning our financial practices with our deep commitment to sustainability as we continue to drive growth responsibly in the burgeoning global digital economy." For more from STT GDC, click here.

Stellium announces Open Compute Project collaboration

Stellium Datacenters, a colocation operator and provider of data centre infrastructure solutions, has announced a strategic Open Compute Project (OCP) collaboration with Submer, a pioneer in advanced immersion cooling technologies, and ExxonMobil, a global immersion cooling fluid manufacturer. Closely aligned with the OCP’s aim of accelerating data centre innovation and efficiency through the development and sharing of open-source hardware designs, the collaboration between Stellium, Submer and ExxonMobil marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of sustainable and efficient data centre solutions, Stellium tells us. The three companies will jointly focus on several innovative customer-centric OCP solutions initiatives including: • Immersion Cooling Integration: Submer's state-of-the-art immersion cooling technology will be seamlessly integrated into Stellium Datacenters' infrastructure, enhancing energy efficiency and overall performance. This move aligns with the OCP's focus on driving energy-efficient solutions in data centres. • Sustainable Data Centre Design: The joint project will prioritise sustainable practices, reflecting the commitment of both companies to environmental responsibility. By incorporating Submer's immersion cooling technology, Stellium Datacenters aims to reduce its carbon footprint and energy consumption significantly. • Innovative Hardware Solutions: Stellium Datacenters and Submer will collaborate on developing and optimising hardware solutions based on OCP principles. This will contribute to the evolution of open-source hardware designs, fostering a community-driven approach to innovation. • Enhanced Performance and Reliability: Through this collaboration, Stellium Datacenters seeks to enhance the overall performance and reliability of its data centre infrastructure, providing clients with cutting-edge solutions that meet the demands of a rapidly evolving digital landscape. • High Performance Immersion Cooling Fluid: ExxonMobilTM DC 3235 Super, a cooling fluid validated and endorsed by Submer, is set to demonstrate how its heat transfer capabilities and material compatibility effectively contributes to this advanced immersion cooling solution. “We are thrilled to embark on this collaborative journey with Submer, which is seen as one of the leading forces in immersive cooling solutions,” says Ed Bissell, Sales and Marketing Director at Stellium Datacenters. “Being one of only two OCP data centres in the UK, Stellium is excited to be working with Submer on customer-driven solutions which will leverage our respective expertise to advance the OCP's objectives. This collaboration exemplifies our dedication to providing sustainable and efficient data solutions that align with the industry's best practices. By integrating Submer's immersion cooling technology, we are confident in our ability to set new benchmarks for performance, energy efficiency, and environmental responsibility." Oriol Chavanel, Submer Ecosystem Enablement Tech. Lead & OCP Lead, adds, "Collaborating with Stellium Datacenters and ExxonMobil on this Open Compute Project is a testament to our shared commitment to innovation and sustainability. By combining our expertise in immersion cooling with Stellium's cutting-edge data infrastructure, we aim to redefine the standards for data centre efficiency and reliability." Glen Sharkowicz, Global Market Development Manager, adds, “ExxonMobil is proud to collaborate with Stellium Datacenters and Submer on this innovative immersion cooling technology. This collaboration demonstrates our collective commitment to advancing OCP’s objectives and delivering new cooling solutions to the market.” As the project progresses, each company will leverage the expertise of best-of-breed solutions partners and share insights and advancements with the broader tech community, reinforcing their commitment to collaborative and open-source initiatives. For more from Stellium Datacenters, click here.

DataVita launches alternative to public cloud services

DataVita, Scotland’s largest data centre and cloud services provider, has launched National Cloud, a platform that addresses the challenges many organisations face when using the public cloud that supports the wider use of artificial intelligence (AI). National Cloud is designed for workloads that don’t fit well into the traditional public cloud and it offers full transparency and predictability over costs – with no hidden fees or egress charges – removing the risk of the potentially infinite costs that come with existing pay-as-you-go public cloud models. The service is delivered from some of the most sustainable data centres in the UK, offering the lowest digital emissions of any cloud provider in the country, DataVita claims. This also ensures data residency within the UK – whereas many public could operators use overseas facilities – addressing compliance and security concerns for public services and regulated industries. Built on open architecture and interoperable systems, National Cloud allows integration and movement between different products which reduces vendor lock-in risks and enables hybrid cloud capabilities. It is purpose-built to handle complex workloads, supporting the requirements of medium and large enterprises, tech start-ups, and public sector organisations. DataVita has forged a strategic partnership with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to deliver the new platform, combining the agility of a specialised cloud provider with the robust technology, industry experience, and simplicity of an established market leader. Danny Quinn, MD of DataVita (pictured above), says, "National Cloud is our answer to the recurring issues organisations face with public cloud services. We're actively seeking out workloads that public clouds can't efficiently support, particularly those driven by AI's growing demands and organisations requiring intricate hybrid cloud architectures. Our platform offers the performance, security, and scalability needed for these intensive applications, all while providing cost predictability and sustainability. "Available across the UK, we're already seeing significant interest from organisations looking to escape the limitations of public cloud services and gain more control over their critical workloads and data. Our focus on transparency, sustainability, and expertly tailored solutions sets us apart in the market." Xavier Poisson, Global Vice President for Service Providers & Colocation Providers at HPE, adds, “The National Cloud combines HPE GreenLake cloud’s leading capabilities to manage, observe, automate and secure complex cloud environments, with DataVita’s experience as a leading provider of cloud and connectivity services. With this new platform, customers across the UK will have access to a trusted infrastructure that allows them to stay in full control of their data and derive value from it.” For more from DataVita, click here.

Hyperview joins forces with Novem Digital

Hyperview, a cloud-based data centre infrastructure management (DCIM) platform, has announced a strategic partnership with Novem Digital, an innovative digital risk management and IoT company. This collaboration aims to leverage the Hyperview platform to help property owners manage building and sustainability related risks using data insights to streamline operations, reduce operational costs, and enhance asset sustainability through predictive capabilities. For insurers, this partnership provides transparency in risk assessment and enables accurate price alignment with risk profiles. The partnership also delivers a software platform that fosters collaborative customer relations, providing data that empowers informed insurance decisions for real estate and construction value outcomes, including better capital planning. Hyperview and Novem are in the process of developing a software add-on named Property Risk Management by Novem. This add-on will enhance the existing Hyperview platform with a suite of features specifically designed for the built environment. Key functionalities will include risk management, capital planning, and predictive analytics. "We're excited to partner with Novem Digital to enhance our SaaS offering," says Jad Jebara, President and CEO of Hyperview. "Our goal has always been to create a versatile digital infrastructure management platform. After successfully focusing on data centres, we're now ready to expand our proven technology to the broader real estate and insurance sectors." Clint Undseth, CEO of Novem Digital, adds, "Our partnership with Hyperview is a major step in enhancing risk management for the built environment. This collaboration offers boards and executives critical insights into strategic and operational risks. Integrating Hyperview's platform with Novem’s expertise in harmonising real-time and historical building data is a game changer that enhances our customers' operations and asset value.” Scott Ewing, Risk Consulting Head of the Americas for AXA XL, emphasises the increasing concerns surrounding natural catastrophes, cyber threats, and system failures in the insurance industry. He notes, “Incidents like electrical arc flashes and water damage are rising sharply. This innovative platform enhances risk assessment and helps our clients identify cost savings and sustainability opportunities. By leveraging data-driven insights, we can offer 24/7 virtual risk engineering services.” The partnership represents a significant opportunity for the insurance industry to enhance collaboration with customers, moving away from the conventional 12-month transaction cycle and towards cultivating long-term relationships. Key benefits of the Property Risk Management add-on include: Cost Reduction: By streamlining operations and utilising data insights, stakeholders can identify areas for cost savings, leading to more efficient asset management and reduced operational expenses. Capital Planning: Leverage true predictive operational data and correlate to historical fault data to enable better capital planning and asset lifecycle management. Informed Decision-Making: Access to predictive analytics empowers real estate and insurance professionals to make data-driven decisions, ensuring accurate alignment between pricing and risk profiles. Enhanced Risk Management: The integration of Hyperview's platform with Novem's data analytics capabilities provides comprehensive risk assessment tools, improving transparency and accuracy in identifying property and climate related risks. Improved Sustainability: The partnership fosters sustainability by offering tools and strategies that help enhance the environmental performance of buildings, promoting eco-friendly practices among property owners and insurers. For more from Hyperview, click here.

Aligned Data Centers earns OCP certification

The Open Compute Project Foundation (OCP), a non-profit organisation offering hyperscale innovations, has announced Aligned Data Centers as the first data centre provider to earn OCP Ready for Hyperscale certification. This recognition marks a significant milestone for the leading technology infrastructure company, with its ORD-02 facility in Chicagoland becoming the first certified data centre under this rigorous programme. Aligned Data Centers, an OCP Community member, is renowned for its innovation, efficiency, scalability, and commitment to sustainability. The company’s ORD-02 facility earned near-optimum results across its OCP Ready site assessment, exceeding standards across all key areas ranging from site access and logistics, to structural, cooling, connectivity, service, efficiency, and certifications. The data centre also recently received Green Globes for New Construction certification from the Green Building Initiative (GBI), earning a rating of three Green Globes for its design and construction, demonstrating outstanding success in resource efficiency, environmental impact reduction, and occupant well-being. Aligned’s standardised methodologies are utilised across its data centre portfolio. Aligned Data Centers’ ORD-02 certification coincides with the launch of the new OCP Ready for Hyperscale programme from the OCP. This certification was co-led by OCP Project Leads, Mark Dansie and Scott Sharp, working within the Data Centre Facilities Project at the OCP, and was created to focus on hyperscale requirements relating to logistics, site access, base building infrastructure, and more. By adhering to a community-led checklist and completing the approval process, data centre operators who achieve OCP Ready for Hyperscale certification demonstrate their readiness to accommodate hyperscale wholesale deployments across a wide range of criteria. A primary goal of the programme is to help hyperscalers identify data centre locations where they can reserve space, power and cooling earlier in the cycle (e.g. core and shell, ready for fit-out, build-in-progress, and capacity available). For data centre operators, this certification not only proves hyperscale capabilities, it also avoids unusable critical infrastructure due to basic building constraints and reduces redundancies in the requirements gathering phase of customer engagements. "Aligned is proud to receive the first-ever OCP Ready for Hyperscale Certification for our ORD-02 data centre, validating our longstanding capabilities in hyperscale deployments. The programme streamlines the data centre selection process for hyperscale companies, reducing potential risk and time-to-market,” says Andrew Schaap, CEO of Aligned Data Centers. “Aligned’s data centres prioritise scalability and flexibility to meet our customers’ specific IT infrastructure requirements. From our flexible, sustainable designs to our industry-leading, high-density cooling technologies – including air, liquid, and hybrid configurations – we unlock seamless scaling for hyperscale businesses, maximising efficiency and effectiveness.” “The New OCP Ready for Hyperscale certification aims to standardise facility criteria that are compatible with all hyperscalers. Establishing a standard for base-building infrastructure reduces the time required to select a suitable data centre for deployments. The data centre industry is growing rapidly and ensuring new facilities are compatible with the customer requirements is extremely important,” says Scott Sharp, OCP Ready Facilities Program Co-Lead. "Aligned Data Centers’ Chicago OCP Ready for Hyperscale certification marks a new era for identifying colocation data centres optimised for hyperscale wholesale deployments. This collaborative effort among hyperscalers within the OCP Community not only validates Aligned's readiness to accommodate hyperscale needs, but also underscores the impact that the OCP is having on the colocation industry to drive efficiency and innovation in the data centre sector," says Mark Dansie, OCP Ready Facilities Program Lead. Aligned Data Center’s ORD-02 data centre is now listed on the OCP Marketplace. For more from Aligned Data Centers, click here.

STT GDC and Phaidra to optimise data centre cooling with AI

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC), one of the world’s fastest-growing data centre colocation services providers, today announced its collaboration with Phaidra, a pioneer of using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve efficiency, stability, and sustainability, to pilot an AI-based autonomous control system for optimising data centre cooling in STT GDC’s facilities in Singapore. Phaidra provides AI-powered control systems for data centres. Its autonomous AI agents build upon legacy control systems and support facility operations teams by analysing thousands of sensor trends in real-time to maximise energy efficiency, reliability, and cooling performance using specialised deep learning models. Because this is a closed-loop solution, these AI agents continuously learn and adapt to changing facility conditions, such as load variations, due to higher density GPU deployments or external weather changes. STT GDC’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030, along with its collaboration with Phaidra, aligns with Singapore’s vision of a greener future for the data centre industry. As the power needs of AI workloads continue to grow, data centre cooling and operational infrastructure must evolve to keep pace. This evolution is essential to more effectively and sustainably manage the heat generated by the high-performance computing requirements necessary to support accelerated computing workloads such as AI and beyond. STT GDC will be the first operator to pilot Phaidra’s AI-powered control systems in Asia, setting a unique precedent by testing them in a hybrid cooling environment that is technically more challenging as compared to traditional air-cooled data centres. Selected STT GDC data centres offer a combination of both air-cooling and liquid-cooling solutions, supporting diverse computing workloads within the same facility. This pioneering effort underscores STT GDC’s commitment to innovative and sustainable data centre management. Based on existing site parameters, an initial estimate of 10% in cooling energy savings is anticipated. As the AI model is fed more operational data, energy savings are expected to increase from the 10% baseline to as high as 30%. This flagship pilot will serve as a model for possible subsequent deployments across STT GDC’s portfolio of data centres globally. Daniel Pointon, Group Chief Technology Officer, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, comments, “Combining our expertise in delivering AI-ready data centres across major economic hubs with Phaidra’s industry-leading know-how in using AI to optimise mission-critical control systems, we are leading the way in using AI to further drive sustainability within our data centres. Through this collaboration, we are not only seeing meaningful impact on our ongoing decarbonisation efforts, but also significant efficiency gains in data centre operations that already offer a hybrid of both air and liquid cooling. This pilot is testament to our commitment to drive sustainable innovation across our data centres.” Jim Gao, CEO and Co-Founder of Phaidra, adds, “Phaidra is proud to work with a leading data centre services provider like STT GDC. Its culture of operational excellence, relentless improvement and innovation makes for a natural partnership. We look forward to driving the data centre industry forward together.” AI is already making inroads towards transforming the global economy. Analysis from PWC indicates that AI could potentially contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, along with up to 26% boost in GDP for local economies from AI by the same year. While a sufficient level of AI-readiness is required to take advantage of these economic opportunities, there also must be considerations towards doing so in a sustainable manner. As a leading data centre hub both regionally and internationally, Singapore is uniquely positioned to drive sustainable innovation in the data centre space. Recently, Singapore announced its Green Data Centre Roadmap for sustainable growth, with plans to accelerate data centres’ energy efficiency at both hardware and software levels, as well as to increase data centres’ use of green energy to expand capacity. For more from STT GDC, click here.

Singtel and Hitachi to collaborate on next-generation data centres

Singtel and Hitachi have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on next-generation data centres and GPU Cloud in Japan - and potentially the wider Asia Pacific region - under the lead of Singtel's Digital InfraCo unit. The strategic partnership will combine Singtel’s extensive data centre and connectivity expertise and technology platforms with Hitachi’s differentiating capability that enables end-to-end data centre integration including green power solutions, cooling systems, storage infrastructure and data management. Together, the companies intend to sustainably enhance data centre performance and capabilities, thereby accelerating AI adoption and digital transformation of enterprises. Notably, the agreement expands on a partnership announced by the companies in June 2024 to trial and integrate Singtel’s Paragon, the all-in-one orchestration platform for 5G, edge computing and cloud, with Hitachi’s AI applications for Hitachi’s manufacturing operations as well as enterprise customers. Through Singtel’s Paragon platform and Hitachi’s deep AI expertise, both companies aim to address the complexities faced by customers when deploying AI capabilities. With the rapidly growing demand for AI and cloud services, Japan has become one of the largest and fastest growing data centre markets in the Asia Pacific region. The market is expected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of 9.8% and reach $5 billion by 2028. Bill Chang, CEO of Singtel’s Digital InfraCo, says, “Our strategic partnership with Hitachi, a leader in digital systems and services fields, opens up new opportunities in a strategically important and expanding Japanese market. Building a strong ecosystem of partners has always been a priority at Singtel to better serve our customers and broaden our global reach. We look forward to bringing our collective expertise, digital assets and solutions to help more enterprises innovate and transform their businesses and operations through the cloud and AI. As we scale our digital capabilities with our partners like Hitachi, we aim to become a leader in the Asia Pacific region.” Singtel carved out Digital InfraCo in mid-2023 to serve as a catalyst for innovation and economic growth for Asia Pacific’s digital economies. Digital InfraCo’s portfolio includes Nxera, its regional data centre arm, subsea cable and satellite businesses, and the Paragon platform, which are all crucial to advancing AI in the region. Digital InfraCo plans to launch GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) later this year to better support enterprise AI adoption. Toshiaki Tokunaga, Executive Vice President and Executive Officer at Hitachi, adds, “Since its inception, Hitachi’s corporate philosophy has centred on addressing the challenges faced by customers and society. As generative AI continues to drive new innovations, the issues of environmental impact due to rising electricity demand is becoming more prominent. Striking a balance between these two factors is a significant mission for Hitachi’s Social Innovation Business. “We are delighted to embark on this mission through our strategic alliance with Singtel. By combining Singtel's expertise in the development and operation of sustainable data centres with the comprehensive capabilities of the Hitachi Group, ranging from green power solutions to facility and data management, we aim to enable companies to utilise data centres in an intelligent and environmentally conscious manner; ultimately achieving continuous innovation while promoting sustainability.” AI-driven data centre expansion is a major opportunity for Hitachi’s Social Innovation business expansion and its group businesses such as Hitachi Digital Services, Hitachi Energy and others, as the expansion calls for the successful integration of all areas where Hitachi uniquely excels: information technology, operational technology and products. The key areas covered by the MOU are: Explore next-generation data centre collaboration in Japan and Asia Pacific to address AI demand: Nxera and Hitachi will explore opportunities to develop data centres across Japan and the rest of the Asia Pacific region. With the continued growth in cloud and AI momentum, it is important to operate smart and environmentally sustainable data centres through high efficiency, high quality data centre management. Such an initiative would draw on Nxera’s expertise in data centre design, building and operation along with Hitachi’s expertise in the production and delivery of data-centre-focused equipment, next-generation energy solutions and advanced IT systems management that ensure stable operations within data centre environments. Nxera is developing a platform of sustainable, hyper-connected AI-ready data centres in the region with a total capacity of more than 200MW in addition to 62MW of existing capacity in Singapore. Combine Singtel's GPU platform with Hitachi's AI expertise to develop enterprise applications: Hitachi will explore using Singtel’s GPUaaS for its internal AI applications and workloads. This effort would allow Hitachi to verify complementary Singtel-based benefits that can enhance Hitachi’s high-performance machine learning, generative AI, and other digital technologies and solutions. Subsequently, it would provide an opportunity for both companies to define more power-efficient methodologies that could advance any enterprise’s sustainability goals. Based on the results of Hitachi’s internal GPUaaS verification, the companies may also explore the co-creation of enterprise-grade applications that combine Hitachi's expertise, including its generative AI technologies and platform, with Singtel's GPU cloud and Paragon platform. The aim is to further reduce customer development and deployment times as well as management and deployment overhead for AI applications. For more from Singtel, click here.

SINES data centre partners with Siemens

Start Campus, a company focused on designing, building and operating a new generation of sustainable data centres, has announced a landmark order for transformers from Siemens Energy to power its SIN02-06 buildings - which it says is a key milestone in delivering its 1.2 GW SINES data centre campus in Portugal. This high-demand, long-lead-time equipment - representing over €20m (£16.9m) of investment - will support the construction and fit-out of the second building of SINES DC (SIN02) and underpin its delivery timetable (it's due to be ready for service in 2026). SIN02 will provide its customers with access to up to 180 MW of IT capacity with reliability and redundancy at competitive power prices. This order solidifies the partnership between Siemens Energy and Start Campus, which began with the deployment of market-leading power equipment for SIN01. It also underscores the shared commitment to driving innovation and ensuring the delivery of reliable, sustainable energy solutions in the data centre industry. Rob Dunn, Chief Executive Officer of Start Campus, says, "Placing this order with Siemens Energy highlights our unwavering commitment to meet the growing demands of our customers and deliver on our promises while setting new industry standards. We deeply value Siemens Energy’s support in powering SIN01 and are pleased to strengthen this successful partnership as we advance the campus. Driving the data centre industry forward requires trusted, committed partners like Siemens Energy, and together, we're making it happen." Mark Pilling, Vice President Grid Solutions for Europe and Africa at Siemens Energy, adds, “Data centres power our digital world, and as demand for data and electricity grows, stable access to electricity is crucial. Start Campus’ investment in sustainability is a vital step towards a greener, more connected future. Together with Start Campus, we are committed to advancing the development of critical digital infrastructure that meets the evolving needs of the data centre industry and sets new benchmarks at large scale.” In addition to this significant development for SIN02-06, SIN01 is set to be operational by Q4 2024 with an initial 14 MW of IT capacity. In direct response to the requirements of its customers and, through the use of liquid cooling technologies, its capacity is being expanded to 26 MW. For more from Start Campus, click here.

DRC inaugurates Raxio data centre

In a landmark move reinforcing the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) burgeoning role in Africa's digital transformation, Raxio Group today inaugurated its state-of-the-art data centre in Kinshasa, marking the country’s largest data centre, with Tier III accreditation by international industry body, the Uptime Institute. Known as Raxio DRC1, the cutting-edge facility is backed by a $30 million investment, and represents a pivotal milestone in the nation’s Plan National du Numérique to drive digital inclusion, foster private sector growth, and transform public services through digitalisation. Located in Limete in the southeast of Kinshasa, the two-storey Raxio data centre spans 1,542 square metres. Its modern design can house up to 400 racks and can reliably deliver 1.5MW of IT power to customer equipment. The 24/7 'always on' facility is ideally located along key fibre routes, delivering best-in-class colocation and connectivity services. Multiple paths for power and cooling systems underpin the centre’s Tier III certification, while the usage of cutting edge components guarantee unmatched levels of efficiency and a strong commitment to sustainability principles. The project was completed in record time since construction started in early 2023, which is a testament to Raxio’s proven track record of designing and constructing data centre facilities in Africa, and the support of government authorities in fast-tracking priority national projects. “The inauguration of our Kinshasa data centre marks a significant achievement for Raxio and a pivotal moment for the DRC's digital landscape,” says Robert Mullins, CEO of Raxio Group. “DRC is one of Africa’s largest and fastest-growing markets with an existing latent demand for digital products and services that is forecast to soar in the coming years. With this facility, we are providing the critical infrastructure essential to supporting the digital economy and enhancing connectivity – and we expect to expand our presence in DRC through additional capacity and new facilities in years to come. Our investment reflects unwavering confidence in the DRC's immense potential and our commitment to sustainable digital development across Africa.” With the widest footprint of any data centre provider on the continent, Raxio's strategy is to address the significant demand for high-quality data infrastructure across Africa. Since opening its first data centre in Uganda in 2021, Raxio has expanded this year into Ethiopia and Mozambique. The launch of the DRC data centre marks the opening of Raxio’s fourth facility this year, with 1.5MW being the group’s largest day one capacity to date. Raxio continues to see strong momentum behind the roll-out of its pan-African digital backbone. Appetite for data centre capacity is growing not just amongst local enterprises and the public sector, but increasingly from some of the world’s largest hyperscale cloud service providers, content delivery networks and mobile network operators as they strengthen their networks and market presence on the continent. The DRC launch aligns with the government's Plan National du Numerique to make expansive digitalisation a catalyst for economic growth, competitiveness and social inclusion, while enabling a range of public and private sector cloud-based digital services. The Provision of data centres is one of the key pillars of the government plan, improving the digital landscape through reduced latency for real-time applications and providing a reliable backbone for mobile and internet connectivity. “Closing sub-Saharan Africa’s connectivity gap is no longer a pipe dream – it is happening now and we are extremely proud to be among the key enablers that are driving digital inclusion,” says Yannick Sukakumu, General Manager, Raxio DRC. “The commitment and pragmatism of the government has been a key enabling factor in spurring our project from inception to completion in record time and stands as an inspiration for the wider region in grasping this incredible opportunity for a broad-based digital economy expansion. We are looking forward to welcoming customers into an international-standard data centre environment.” For more from Raxio, click here.

JLL boosts data centres team with key hire

JLL, a global commercial real estate and investment management company, has appointed Mark Harper as a Technical Consulting Specialist for its data centre practice in EMEA. In this role, Mark will assist clients in meeting their technical needs within the entire JLL data centre division. Mark brings 27 years of industry experience and comprehensive knowledge of the operational landscape with him to JLL, where he will provide guidance in technical due diligence, drive operational sustainability, advise clients on technical risk management and legacy retrofit projects, explore technology innovation opportunities and promote operational excellence. Based in London, Mark reports to Catriona Shearer, JLL Global Consulting Lead for EMEA Data Centre Solutions. “We are excited to welcome Mark to JLL,” Catriona says. “He’s held numerous leadership, client management and project roles throughout his impressive career. His deep understanding of system design, modifications and asset management, in addition to his expertise with operational standards and best practice, will be an asset to our clients.” Mark was most recently the Technical Operations Manager for the service provider at the prestigious Telehouse London site. Prior to that role, he held several technical and leadership positions with SPIE UK, AMEC Facilities and Matthew Hall. He was responsible for the implementation of the UK’s largest data centre and oversaw the site evolution from one data centre to five across his tenure. Data centre demand has skyrocketed in recent years. JLL Research recently published a report on the growth trajectory for edge data centres, predicting that edge IT infrastructure and data centres will become a $317 billion market globally by 2026, representing a 107% increase since 2020. The demand for colocation, hyperscale, edge and enterprise data centres, fuelled in part by the rise of AI and machine learning, is transforming the sector and ushering in a new wave of innovation to better meet the demand and help operators reach sustainability goals. “I thrive on driving innovation and change and, with that, consistently keeping data centres at the forefront of technology advancements,” Mark Harper comments. “I’m thrilled to join JLL and further influence and shape the direction of data centres using industry-leading innovations.”