The Asia-Pacific Data Centre Association (APDCA) has launched a new white paper calling for stronger policy and industry collaboration to enhance energy sustainability across data centres in the region.
Titled Data Centres and Energy Sustainability: A Regional Perspective on Best Practices and Policy Frameworks, the paper was released on Oct 27 and outlines strategies to reduce the environmental impact of data centres while meeting the surging demand for digital infrastructure in Asia-Pacific (APAC).
“Balancing energy sustainability with the rising demand for digital infrastructure is one of APAC’s defining challenges,” says Jeremy Deutsch, chair of APDCA. “With the right policy frameworks, Asia-Pacific governments can ensure that digital transformation advances hand in hand with net-zero ambitions.”
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Driven by cloud adoption, digital services and artificial intelligence (AI), regional demand for data centres is projected to grow nearly 20% annually 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 trend mirrored across the wider APAC region.
The white paper highlights best practices to improve energy performance across the data centre lifecycle — from site selection, design and construction to operations and monitoring. It also recommends policy measures to accelerate access to clean and renewable energy through stronger grid infrastructure and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).
Developers are encouraged to collaborate closely with regulators and industry partners to establish consistent energy efficiency standards across the APAC markets.
Among the examples cited is Singapore’s BCA-IMDA Green Mark for Data Centres (GMDC) — a certification scheme jointly developed by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) to recognise data centres with strong sustainability performance and energy-efficient practices.
The APDCA members include leading global operators, such as AirTrunk, Equinix, Digital Realty, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, and Princeton Digital Group.