Digital Realty takes home SBR Technology Excellence Awards 2024 trophy

It was recognised for its cooling tower project.

Digital Realty, provider of the world’s largest meeting place for companies, technologies and data, recently received recognition for its strides in sustainable environmental practices within the data centre sector. This commendation came as it clinched a prestigious award at the SBR Technology Excellence Awards 2024 in the Data Centre - Data Centre category. The acknowledgement reflects the company's dedication to steering the global data centre industry towards a greener future, characterised by energy-efficient operations and minimised environmental impact.

An example of Digital Realty's sustainability efforts in Singapore is its innovative cooling tower project, a venture supported by PUB Singapore. This project represents a significant advancement in environmental responsibility within the data centre industry, employing DCI electrolysis technology to transform water treatment processes. Traditional chemical-based anti-scaling methods, whilst common, present environmental hurdles and often yield subpar results, such as significant water wastage and scaling buildup that impairs heat transfer efficiency.

By embracing DCI electrolysis technology, Digital Realty has departed from these conventional methods, eliminating the need for chemical treatment and substantially reducing water and energy consumption. This technology not only prevents scaling but also actively removes existing scale deposits, thereby enhancing the efficiency of cooling systems.

The implementation of Digital Realty's innovative water treatment solution has yielded remarkable outcomes, greatly boosting sustainability and efficiency within its operations. The project has tripled the reuse rate of cooling tower water, resulting in monthly savings of 1.24 million litres of water. Additionally, there has been a 60% reduction in blow-down water, leading to a monthly conservation of 650,000 litres.

This initiative has not only surpassed PUB Singapore's benchmarks, achieving an impressive Water Usage Efficiency (WUE) rating of 1.99 but has also established a new industry standard. Furthermore, the enhanced heat transfer efficiency has translated into significant energy savings, contributing to a reduction in Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and operational costs, highlighting Digital Realty's dedication to sustainability and innovation in data centre management.

This project underscores Digital Realty's commitment to innovation, sustainability, and responsible resource management. It demonstrates the company's proactive approach to addressing climate change challenges and its determination to propel the data centre industry towards more sustainable practices. By sharing best practices and advocating for the adoption of similar technologies, Digital Realty is not only enhancing its own operations but also catalysing a broader shift towards sustainability in data centres worldwide.

The SBR Technology Excellence Awards is presented by Singapore Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding contributions in pursuit of technological innovation, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].