New analysis from Lenovo evokes idea designs exhibiting how information facilities should evolve to satisfy tomorrow’s compute and local weather calls for
- Many present information middle designs are failing to satisfy IT choice makers’ sustainability objectives
- Knowledge sovereignty and low latency are high priorities for IT leaders throughout EMEA, pushed by real-time and edge computing calls for
- 90% anticipate AI to considerably improve information utilization – however simply two fifths (41%) are able to combine it effectively
6 November 2025: Knowledge middle design should evolve to future-proof companies throughout EMEA, new analysis commissioned by Lenovo reveals. From powering AI workloads effectively to assembly pressing sustainability and compliance calls for, conventional information middle designs are falling quick, with practically half (46%) of IT leaders admitting their present infrastructure doesn’t help vitality or carbon-reduction objectives.
On the similar time, an awesome 99% of IT and C-level choice makers within the area say information sovereignty might be necessary to how information is collected, saved and processed within the years forward. And whereas AI continues to speed up information utilization throughout industries, many organizations are nonetheless struggling to implement the know-how successfully or energy it sustainably, highlighting the rising hole between digital ambition and infrastructure actuality.
Lenovo undertook the Knowledge Middle of the Future research, in partnership with Opinium, to offer a blueprint for the important thing components influencing the long run design, know-how and placement of information facilities. It comes as the info middle market grows, and vitality utilization, sustainability and prices develop into important issues for IT choice makers in EMEA.
Sustainability readiness hole requires new method
92% of IT decision-makers prioritize know-how companions who cut back vitality use and carbon footprint, but solely 46% say their present information middle design helps sustainability objectives. This hole underscores the rising environmental pressures of AI, automation and exponential information development, with conventional cooling programs (corresponding to air cooling) struggling to stability effectivity, value and carbon discount.
Knowledge sovereignty necessary for 99%
With 88% of IT decision-makers already viewing information sovereignty as a precedence and practically 99% anticipating it to stay necessary over the following 5 years, it’s clear that compliance and management over the place information resides will outline future information middle design. On the similar time, 94% spotlight low latency as a key requirement in the present day and within the years forward, pushed by the expansion of real-time functions and edge computing.
Powering AI at scale to outline information middle future
90% of IT decision-makers imagine AI will considerably improve organizational information utilization within the subsequent decade, and 62% anticipate AI and automation to have the best influence on IT technique. But regardless of the promise, 41% admit their group is just not ready to combine AI effectively.
“The information middle of the long run might be outlined by how successfully it may well scale for AI, ship on sustainability targets, and function with most vitality effectivity,” mentioned Simone Larsson, Head of Enterprise AI, EMEA at Lenovo. “As demand for compute accelerates, prospects will more and more look to infrastructure companions who can ship efficiency with out compromise, and who take duty for lowering environmental influence.
“In EMEA, information sovereignty stands out as a very pressing precedence, formed by complicated regional rules and heightened scrutiny from CIOs and C-suites alike. Companies should act now to align their infrastructure with these rising expectations, as a result of making ready for the long run begins with the alternatives they make in the present day.”
Designing the Knowledge Middle of 2055
Lenovo has labored with engineering agency AKT II and designers Mamou-Mani to contemplate how information facilities might look in 30 years, as their significance to our private and dealing lives continues to develop and vitality demand will increase. The ideas take the rack server information middle mannequin and leverage water cooling know-how to spice up their sustainability, whereas additionally making use of pure assets, disused areas and surprising areas to unravel the challenges and meet wants of their customers. The designs embody:
- The Floating Cloud: A novel idea involving the suspension of the info middle within the air, at an altitude of 20-30KM (safely away from business plane), with 24/7 vitality from solar energy and utilizing pressurized closed liquid cooling loops to stop air air pollution. Smaller modules make the design possible for floating within the air.
- The Knowledge Village: Situated near water sources corresponding to rivers or canals, the Knowledge Village includes a modular, stackable brick or pod system of information facilities linked to metropolis wants. This location advantages from enhanced liquid cooling and the flexibility to switch waste warmth to energy or warmth native facilities like colleges, or properties, in addition to lowering latency due to its proximity to key areas. This mannequin additionally extends right into a Knowledge Spa. Powered by geothermal vitality, this idea blends into pure landscapes (corresponding to a valley, lagoon, or geothermal swimming pools), making a low-visual-impact and biophilic information middle.
- The Knowledge Middle Bunker: Using disused tunnels, bunkers, or transport programs, the Knowledge Middle Bunker locations the know-how underground to reduce the necessity for brand spanking new areas to extend capability. This reduces land use whereas permitting for amenities to be setup in central areas with decrease influence. Benefitting from enhanced safety resilience, the subterranean location creates a naturally environment friendly warmth administration system.
Importantly, all the ideas would require and have been designed to include liquid cooling know-how to handle the difficulty of warmth in information facilities and the restrictions of conventional air cooling. Liquid cooling makes use of much less vitality than air cooling, rising the effectivity and sustainability of the ideas.
“As architects and engineers, we’ve got a duty to make information facilities higher, not simply greater. The Knowledge Middle of the Future venture combines the evolving wants of companies with sensible pathways, from reusing mines and bunkers to high-altitude cloud modules, city information villages, and information spas that pair server warmth with public facilities”, mentioned James Cheung, Accomplice at Mamou-Mani. “Based mostly on Lenovo’s liquid cooling know-how, we present how pure assets and present areas can cut back overheads and return vitality to communities. Whereas we don’t have a crystal ball to point out precisely what the long run holds for information facilities, this playbook supplies a glimpse of ideas that would transfer from concepts to pilots, quicker and with much less danger.”
To fulfill the twin challenges of accelerating compute demand and stricter sustainability necessities, organizations should start optimizing their infrastructure in the present day. Liquid cooling know-how presents a tangible and efficient answer and with Lenovo Neptune liquid cooling, 98% of system warmth could be eliminated immediately on the supply. Neptune additionally considerably reduces vitality consumption and reliance on conventional air-based cooling strategies. As companies scale their use of AI and superior analytics, Neptune options supply a future-ready platform that aligns with each efficiency goals and environmental commitments.
“Lenovo is dedicated to enabling smarter, extra sustainable infrastructure at scale,” Larsson added. “With Neptune liquid cooling know-how, we’re already serving to prospects handle the rising vitality calls for of AI by integrating liquid cooling options which can be each extremely environment friendly and instantly deployable. Future-ready information facilities require a shift in mindset, one the place sustainability is just not retrofitted, however engineered into the system from the very starting.”
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The Knowledge Middle of the Future research options analysis from Opinium, commissioned by Lenovo, which surveyed 250 IT choice makers in firms of 250 staff or extra in Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, the UK and UAE. Fieldwork was performed in August 2025.
AI Transparency Assertion: Among the visible representations included on this work had been created or enhanced utilizing synthetic intelligence instruments, corresponding to Midjourney, to help conceptual exploration and visible communication. These AI-generated photos are supposed as an example design intent and environment; all underlying architectural concepts, spatial compositions, and design selections had been conceived and developed by the creator.
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a US$69 billion income world know-how powerhouse, ranked #196 within the Fortune World 500, and serving tens of millions of consumers day-after-day in 180 markets. Targeted on a daring imaginative and prescient to ship Smarter Know-how for All, Lenovo has constructed on its success because the world’s largest PC firm with a full-stack portfolio of AI-enabled, AI-ready, and AI-optimized gadgets (PCs, workstations, smartphones, tablets), infrastructure (server, storage, edge, excessive efficiency computing and software program outlined infrastructure), software program, options, and providers. Lenovo’s continued funding in world-changing innovation is constructing a extra equitable, reliable, and smarter future for everybody, in every single place. Lenovo is listed on the Hong Kong inventory trade beneath Lenovo Group Restricted (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY). To seek out out extra go to https://www.lenovo.com, and browse in regards to the newest information through our StoryHub.
AKT II – Engineering the Future
AKT II is an award-winning engineering design apply based mostly in London, working internationally throughout structure, infrastructure, and the constructed atmosphere. Our method unites creativity and technical excellence, integrating superior evaluation, digital design, and materials innovation to ship elegant, environment friendly, and sustainable options. We collaborate intently with architects, shoppers, and companions to create constructions which can be aware of context, resource-conscious, and provoking for individuals and communities whereas pioneering the way forward for engineering by way of computational design, rising supplies, and adaptive programs.
Mamou-Mani: Designing the Way forward for Structure
Mamou-Mani helps individuals and firms envision and create inspiring areas, merchandise, and experiences that anticipate the long run. We’re an award-winning RIBA-chartered apply based mostly in London, UK, with our personal fabrication facility (Fab.Pub) and deep experience in computational design. Our work is grounded in foresight: we discover how structure can reply to shifting cultural, technological, and environmental forces. By harnessing parametric and generative design instruments, we evolve tasks based mostly on guidelines and parameters that mirror pure programs making structure extra adaptive, predictive, and resilient.
In contrast to conventional practices, we hyperlink design on to fabrication by way of customized software program and digital craft, permitting concepts to maneuver seamlessly from idea to constructed actuality. This built-in “design-to-fabrication” pipeline helps shoppers check future situations, prototype options, and ship progressive outcomes with minimal waste. From visioning and computational design to fabrication, meeting, and even digital and graphic storytelling, we offer a holistic service for each stage of a venture. This permits us not solely to satisfy in the present day’s challenges but in addition to anticipate tomorrow’s alternatives.
