As the data center arena continues to grow and evolve, several challenges are emerging relating to energy efficiency. According to Griffith, at JLL balancing energy usage and sustainability is an ongoing battle between performance and efficiency.
“This is becoming increasingly critical given that, according to JLL’s 2025 Global Data Center Outlook, data centers are expected to account for approximately 2 percent of the world’s power utilization in 2025,” Griffith says. It’s important to note a variety of other factors – increasing electric vehicle (EV) adoption, machinery electrification and rising power consumption in developing countries – also contribute to growing power demand. Still, some of the biggest challenges are due in part to the rapid growth and scalability where the demand for data storage and processing power can potentially outpace energy efficiency improvements.
To provide context, as Griffith explains, the average rack density in data centers has increased by approximately 150 percent since 2017 alone, where the current average is 12 kilowatts (kW). This will only increase as the demands are pushing density beyond 50 kW and AI up to 100 kW.
“It’s important for any data center providers to have conversations with their clients on their business initiatives that could result in an increased need for more power and space, but also understanding the legacy infrastructure and current utilization rates,” Griffith says. “Often times, you will find the opportunity to become more efficient is by developing strategies to reduce the amount of servers that may be operating at low utilization rates, which only consume energy and require considerable cooling even when not fully active.”
Expanding into the future. JLL has clients preparing for expansion over the next few years, some of which are in direct response to the boom in AI. JLL has positioned the company to be able to take part in those conversations and help their clients navigate those challenges by the company’s recent strategic acquisition of SKAE Power Solutions, New York-based provider of data center technical and project management services. It is expected that this acquisition of SKAE will enable JLL to provide solutions across the full data center lifecycle and adds significant technical depth to its existing offerings.
“This allows JLL to be more than just your traditional facilities management provider by providing the capability to help our account teams and clients manage the entire data center lifecycle,” Griffith says.
Griffith stresses that it’s an exciting time for the data center industry, and the team at JLL is looking forward to evolving alongside their partners to effectively manage these opportunities in the future.
“As we continue to invest into our people, our process, and building sustainable programs, I’m confident that we will be able to navigate the ever-changing landscape that is before us.”
Maura Keller is a freelance writer based in Plymouth, Minnesota.
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