He says that to get the benefits we’re seeking, all of these other aspects need to be reconciled first, and one of the things that will enable that is productisation.
The density debate.The conversation started by discussing the trends in data centre density..
Driven by the relentless development of CPU and GPU processing power, the need for ever greater power and cooling density at rack level continues to increase exponentially.Data processed has roughly doubled every two years from 2 zettabytes in 2010 to 149 zettabytes in 2024, and the trend continues.It was suggested that the increase in processor power will lead to rack density increasing, with the 1MW rack already being envisaged..
The change at processor/rack level density is accelerating at a rate that brings challenges to construction project delivery.When projects can take four to five years to realise, there might be a tenfold increase in rack density within that lifetime, creating a significant dilemma of what to build and how to pivot..
The move from air-cooled to liquid-cooled solutions is key.
However, liquid cooling topology can be more complicated and expensive, so the trajectory for take up of this technology is still evolving.. Another disparity in scales arises between rack density and cooling technology infrastructure.My recent article.
“Construction Platforms for Asia: Thoughts on the DfMA Journey in Asia-Pacific”.discussed some recent developments in my region but the interest in using DfMA on construction projects to drive benefits related to cost and programme, quality, productivity, health and safety and sustainability is growing worldwide.. As DfMA grows from a niche topic into a mainstream conversation in the construction industry, more and more government and private sector stakeholders are getting involved developing strategies and finding opportunities.
However, there is a fundamental challenge hindering newcomers to DfMA and MMC – understanding what these terms actually mean.. Confusion is a barrier to change: talking about Modern Methods of Construction.The DfMA landscape is littered with acronyms, abbreviations and terminology that is often poorly defined and even more poorly understood.