Marie Kenny | Oct. 16, 2024

Decarbonising Digital Infrastructure, Sustainability and AI: Insights from Our Conversation with Joshua Feinberg, CEO of the Data Centre Sales and Marketing Institute (DCSMI)

At Interact we are passionate about advancing sustainability and promoting decarbonisation within the digital infrastructure space. That’s why we were excited to have our Managing Director Rich, featured in a recent podcast hosted by Joshua Feinberg, where they discussed critical topics like sustainability in data centres, the circular economy, AI development, and the growing talent shortage in the industry.

We have put together some key insights that Rich shared or you can listen to the full podcast by following the link at the bottom of the page!

The Circular Economy and Sustainability in Data Centres

With a background in economics and politics, Rich is a strong advocate for the circular economy, which focuses on extending product lifecycles and reducing environmental impact through better resource management. During the podcast, Rich explained how these principles can and should be applied to the data centre industry—an industry that is known to consume vast amounts of energy and resources.

He stressed that, to reduce the carbon footprint of data centres, we need to adopt a full-cost approach that considers the energy consumed by computing hardware throughout its lifecycle. This involves extending the lifespan of IT products, reducing waste, and rethinking how digital infrastructure impacts not just the environment but society. By doing so, organisations can achieve cost efficiencies while contributing to broader sustainability goals.

Balancing Economic Growth with Environmental Sustainability

One of the key challenges the industry faces is balancing economic growth with sustainability. In his conversation, Rich highlighted the need for smart investment in sustainable technologies and discussed the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model for evaluating the energy requirements of AI systems. This model ensures that organisations don’t just focus on the initial costs of AI development but also on the long-term environmental impact of running these energy-intensive systems.

As AI is set to revolutionise sectors such as healthcare and travel, there’s a growing need for responsible innovation. Rich emphasised that the traditional tech industry mindset of rapid scaling without consideration for long-term consequences isn’t suitable for AI. Instead, organisations should adopt a more holistic, balanced approach that considers both ethical and environmental factors.

Addressing the Talent Shortage in the Data Centre Industry

Rich also spoke about the significant talent shortage in the data centre industry, a challenge that could hamper efforts to decarbonise and modernise this crucial sector. Historically, the data centre industry has been somewhat shrouded in secrecy, which has deterred many young professionals from exploring careers in the field.

To address this, Rich advocates for opening up the industry, increasing transparency, and highlighting the vital role that data centres play in global sustainability efforts. By demystifying the sector and creating more accessible career pathways, we can attract a new generation of talent—people who are passionate about sustainability, innovation, and making an impact. Rich offered advice to early-career professionals, emphasising the importance of self-learning, adaptability, and cultivating high-value skills.

AI’s Potential and Ethical Challenges

The conversation also covered the transformative potential of AI, particularly in industries like healthcare, where it has the potential to improve patient outcomes and efficiency. However, Rich warned that AI development must be accompanied by a strong focus on ethical considerations, especially around data collection and usage.

Rich suggested that tools like those developed by Google—which increase transparency in services like Google Maps and Google Flights—could be applied to digital infrastructure as well. By doing so, we could give businesses and consumers better visibility into the environmental and societal impacts of their digital activities, helping drive more responsible behaviour.

The Role of Hardware in Sustainability

A major part of the sustainability conversation revolves around hardware. Rich pointed out that by extending the lifespan of hardware, we can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of data centre operations. Many organisations overlook this simple but effective strategy, opting for newer technology instead of maximising the use of existing assets. Rich predicts that early adopters of these sustainability practices will help shape the future of the industry, and as ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives gain more traction, companies will increasingly need to shift from basic awareness to strategic implementation.

Listen to the Podcast

At Interact, we believe that conversations like these are vital for driving progress in sustainability and innovation across the tech sector. These insights provide a roadmap for how companies can rethink their approach to decarbonising digital infrastructure and embracing more sustainable business models.

We invite you to listen to the full podcast here: https://www.dcsmi.com/podcast/rich-kenny-managing-director-interact-data-center-go-to-market-podcas