CBRE: AI Optimisation Transforms Data Centre Sustainability
Data centres face criticism for their extensive energy and water usage.
This positions them centrally in the sustainability debate: can the digital infrastructure that facilitates cutting-edge innovation also champion eco-friendliness?
AI emerges as both a contributor to and a solution for this issue.
Data centres’ energy challenge
Critical to the digital economy, data centres underpin cloud computing, streaming and AI deployment.
Still, their environmental footprint attracts scrutiny.In 2024, data centres used approximately 415TWh to 460TWh of electricity, constituting around 2% of global electricity consumption.
Forecasts suggest potential growth to between 945TWh and 1,065TWh by 2030, driven primarily by AI workloads — akin to Japan's current annual energy use.
AI itself powerfully influences this sector.
By 2027, AI could consume between 85TWh and 134TWh annually, the equivalent of Singapore's entire energy use over 18 months to three years, as estimated by Digiconomist.
Such changes risk reinforcing perceptions that data centres conflict with sustainability efforts.
CBRE: Data centres, AI and sustainability
Despite their appetite for energy, data centres offer environmental advantages.
They support remote working, curbing emissions from commuting and facilitate digital media distribution, lowering the carbon footprint relative to physical media production and transport.
Furthermore, AI combined with data centres can play a vital role in solutions.
Their paradox lies in dual utility: while accommodating energy-intensive tasks, they propel tools and methods that optimise and contract net energy usage.
“The increased resource demand associated with AI may contribute to the perception that AI and data centres are at odds with sustainability goals. However, it is important to recognise the significant energy and carbon emissions reduction benefits that this technology can provide,” CBRE says in its Data Centers, AI and Sustainability: Navigating the Carbon Paradox report.
“By weighing the inputs against the benefits, a more nuanced, holistic view of the advantages of leveraging technology emerges.
“This shift could help reframe the perception of AI and data centres to acknowledge their potential contributions.”
CBRE lays out three strategies for achieving net energy savings, which stem from realising opportunities — something it emphasises is essential.
- Facility electricity consumption optimisation: AI-driven optimisation can significantly reduce energy use in data centres and other facilities.
By analysing real-time data — such as energy usage patterns, weather forecasts and occupancy — AI can schedule operations to coincide with periods of abundant, clean energy and minimise unnecessary equipment cycling - Smart grids: Integrating AI with smart grids enables data centres to predict grid behavior, balance loads and prioritise renewable energy sources.
Data centres can act as prosumers — both consuming and producing energy by, for example, feeding excess energy or repurposed waste heat back into the grid, supporting grid resilience and accelerating the adoption of renewables - Strategic colocation and heat reuse: AI workloads often tolerate higher network latency, allowing data centres to be located in regions rich in renewable energy or with district heating systems.
For instance, a data centre in Sweden-powered by low-carbon electricity and connected to district heating-can emit up to 40 times less CO₂ than a comparable facility in Singapore
“The potential return is remarkable,” CBRE’s CSO Robert Bernard says.
“Our analysis shows that these strategies can deliver massive energy and carbon savings that far outweigh the resources invested.
“This isn’t just good for our planet — it’s smart business.
“When we design these data centres thoughtfully and intentionally, these facilities can become active participants in the green economy.”
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