Lenovo argues that current datacenter facilities fall short of sustainability needs, urging transformation to support businesses’ future in the EMEA region. According to their research, nearly half of IT executives find their current infrastructure inadequate for energy efficiency.

In a push for innovation, Lenovo collaborated with engineering and architectural firms to envision how datacenters might evolve in the next three decades. Concepts include the Data Village, which features modular units located near water bodies to utilize natural cooling and channel waste heat to nearby infrastructure.

There’s also the ambitious Data Spa, leveraging geothermal energy by seamlessly integrating into natural landscapes. However, this setup, with its proximity to open water, poses potential security concerns.

The most avant-garde idea involves solar-powered datacenters floating at high altitudes, beyond Earth’s clouds. Its feasibility is questionable, and it may attract unwanted attention from adversaries.

More grounded concepts include converting old tunnels and bunkers into IT hubs, capitalizing on their inherent thermal properties. Despite skepticism, Lenovo believes these sites facilitate efficient heat management.

The company’s ‘Datacenter of the Future’ research highlights that while most IT leaders seek eco-friendly partners, less than half are satisfied with their current datacenters’ energy goals. Furthermore, data sovereignty and AI readiness remain pressing but underachieved objectives among surveyed firms, particularly in Germany, Italy, and the UAE.