Digital Realty, a leading global provider of cloud- and carrier-neutral data centre, colocation and interconnection solutions, has announced its collaboration with Ecolab, a global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services, to deploy an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven water conservation solution in 35 of its US data centres.
Implemented by Nalco Water – Ecolab’s water and process management business – the pilot aims to enhance Digital Realty’s water use efficiency and minimise environmental impact.
The digital service combines insights from Ecolab’s advanced automation and control technology with more than a century of Ecolab expertise to establish actionable water consumption benchmarks.
By contextualising the information through an AI/Machine Learning model and analysing the data, the solution identifies real-time operational inefficiencies in cooling systems and recommends actions for fast improvement.
Digital Realty, an early adopter and key collaborator on the solution’s development, was the first to pilot Ecolab’s AI-enabled technology. Once fully implemented, the solution is expected to drive up to a 15% reduction in water use, extend equipment life and avoid the withdrawal of up to 126 million gallons of potable water from local watersheds annually.
“Collaborating with Ecolab on this AI-driven water conservation initiative aligns with our goals of improving water use efficiency and minimising environmental impact. We’re excited about the potential of this solution to set a new standard in water conservation for data centres,” said Aaron Binkley, Vice President of Sustainability, Digital Realty.
This collaboration builds upon the long-standing relationship between Digital Realty and Ecolab, which spans nearly a decade and has resulted in the successful completion of 15 water conservation projects. During 2023 alone, Digital Realty’s and Ecolab’s solutions helped Digital Realty reduce the amount of water withdrawn from local watersheds by 5% and avoid 986 metric tons of CO2 emissions, through restorative energy projects and water use reduction initiatives.
Additionally, the projects have reduced plastic waste disposal by 83% through a chemical delivery service and solids chemistry programme.
“AI is not just revolutionising business; it’s also set to transform water and energy efficiency within the tech sector,” said Emilio Tenuta, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Ecolab. “At Ecolab, we’re proud to innovate AI-powered water solutions with Digital Realty, showcasing how next-gen technology can elevate water stewardship across industries.”
The Ecolab solution pilot is part of Digital Realty’s broader water conservation strategy, aimed at improving Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) and reducing overall water consumption. In its recent 2023 ESG report, Digital Realty reported a 14% reduction in water use intensity compared to the previous year, highlighting the company’s ongoing commitment to innovation and minimising its environmental impact.
Digital Realty has also successfully implemented AI solutions in other areas of its operations, including the expansion of its Apollo AI energy efficiency platform to the APAC region. So far, this platform has identified the opportunity for approximately 18GWh of energy savings – equivalent to the annual energy usage of over 1,600 US households.
