Nature Positive Role of the Technology Sector 2025

Data centres – summary of key nature impacts and dependencies FIGURE 11 Core building materials Concrete, steel, copper, aluminium, wood, plastics, composites, insulation, glass, tarElectricity use – Hyperscale facility energy loads are upwards of 100 MW and growing. – Facility PUE* ranges from 1.02 (immersion cooling) to 2.90 (air cooling), based on cooling type and efficiency measures but 1.4-1.6 is most typicalFacility land use Hyperscale facility footprint can exceed 1,900 sq. metresWater use – Hyperscale facility annual water usage may exceed 2 billion litres – A typical facility will expel ~40% of its water use as wastewater – Facility WUE** ranges from 0 (free air cooling, immersion cooling) to 2.91 (evaporation cooling), based on both server-level and facility-level cooling strategiesBackup generation and power distribution Coolant distribution Water storage tanks Networking equipment Chillers Cooling towersIncoming power Transformers ServerRack Notes: *PUE: power use effectiveness = total energy required by facility over total energy required for computing; **WUE: water use effectiveness = annual litres of water used for humidification and cooling over total annual kWh used to power IT equipment. Sources: see endnote.57 Nature Positive: Role of the Technology Sector 24