Global data, local impacts: What does the data centre boom mean for cities and regions?

Date: Tuesday, 08 September 2026

Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Location: Nelson Meers Foundation Auditorium, Chau Chak Wing Museum

Sydney has emerged as a hot spot in the global data centre boom, with dozens of massive hyperscale data centres currently in construction and development. What’s driving this growth, and how is it reshaping our city? Rapid data centre growth has been met with growing community concern, mobilisation, and even calls for moratoriums on new construction. This will be a dynamic discussion to unpack the economic, environmental, political and spatial implications of data centre growth, and to discuss and debate the principles that should underpin their regulation. Speakers will explore diverse perspectives and experiences, and discuss policies that could ensure that data centre developments do not compromise other urgent priorities including social amenity, emissions reduction and sustainable growth.

Speakers

Professor Kurt Iveson, Professor of Urban Geography, USYD

Dr Bronwyn Cumbo, Lecturer Sustainable and Inclusive Futures, UTS

Dr Anne Hurni, Research and Policy Lead, National Growth Areas Alliance (NGAA)

Associate Professor Craig Jin, Head of CARlab- Computing and Audio Research Laboratory, USYD

Eve Altman, Clean Energy Campaigner, Nature Conservation Council

Chaired by

Dr Sandy Burgoyne, Lecturer, USYD

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