Water and Heat Management in Data Centres

As demand for data centres grows, so too does the challenge of managing the significant heat they generate and the water and energy required to keep them cool.

This student-led symposium will showcase emerging research exploring water and heat management in data centres and opportunities to improve efficiency and sustainability. A small group of students will present their research and share insights into different aspects of this rapidly evolving challenge.

An industry perspective will also be shared through our invited speaker, Danielle Francis from the Water Services Association of Australia. Danielle will speak on 'Data centres: Hot and wet or not? Policy and technology drivers shaping the data centres of the future'.

The symposium will conclude with an introduction to this year's design project for CEIC6713, which will explore sustainable water sources for data centres. CEIC6713 is a chemical engineering elective course for both undergraduate and postgraduate students that focuses on industrial wastewater processing from consumption to disposal or discharge. The course has a particular focus on sustainability and allows students to develop a more in-depth understanding of the underlying principles of sustainability and governance that drive decision making. 

About guest speaker, Danielle Francis:

Danielle is the Manager, Customer & Policy at Water Services Association of Australia – the peak body for urban water utilities in Australia and parts of New Zealand. Danielle was recently named as the Australian Water Professional of the Year, NSW Water Professional of the Year, and received the Advocacy Achievements Award from the United States WaterReuse Association. 

This event is hosted by the UNSW Institute for Industrial Decarbonisation