Nigerian CommunicationWeek

Open Access Data Centres Recognize Sustainability as Key in its Operations – Aduloju

Mr Olatunji Aduloju is Operations Manager at Open Access Data Centres (OADC) on Sustainability in Data Centre Operations.

He has an enviable career in operations of data centre, and has worked with CWG plc where he managed the company’s data centre for over 5 years before joining OADC few years ago.

In this interview, he explained the driving force behind WIOCC and OADC sustainability efforts. WIOCC Group is the parent company of WIOCC- Africa’s digital backbone and OADC.

What does sustainability mean to WIOCC and Open Access Data Centres and how driven is the company on sustainability and the environment?

Sustainability encompasses a variety of obligations that are inherent in conducting business responsibly. For WIOCC and OADC, this includes:

How concerned is WIOCC & Open Access Data Centres about sustainability especially when it involves the environment more especially when it comes to Data Centres operations?

WIOCC and OADC recognize that sustainability is a paramount consideration in the development and operation of data centres. With increasing energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with digital infrastructure, we are committed to operating sustainably.

We apply competitive sustainability standards during the design, building and operation of our data centres. This ensures that our facilities are both hyperscale-ready for clients, and meet global investor requirements for managing environmental and social risks.

How sustainable should Data Centres be when it comes to usage of power?

Energy efficiency is an area of focus for OADC. We have set performance targets that require us to improve our Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) which is the industry standard for measuring energy efficiency.

In addition, green building design has been incorporated as a requirement of our core data centres. This requires energy and water efficiency to be included in the design of our data centres.

A key metric in building design is the ‘embodied carbon’ of materials – this refers to the greenhouse gas emissions associated with various stages in the life cycle of building materials, including raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, construction, and disposal. Current international building certifications, like IFC EDGE and LEED, require us to achieve ambitious targets relating to the embodied carbon in the materials we use for data centre construction.

How can technology help data centres to maximise sustainability process especially with energy efficiency and what lessons can be learned on the energy efficiency of OADC operations?

At OADC operations, we focus on improving our energy efficiency through technology and optimal occupation of our data centres. This includes:

Waste management is always an environmental issue especially in a developing country, how can industrial waste be managed taking Open Access Data Centre as a case study?

At OADC, we apply the waste hierarchy which requires us to reduce and minimise waste as the first option. Where waste generation cannot be avoided or reduced, we recover and reuse waste in a manner that is safe for human health and the environment.

Where waste cannot be recovered or reused, we will treat, destroy, or dispose of it in an environmentally sound manner that includes the appropriate control of emissions and residues resulting from the handling and processing of the waste material. Our policy also requires us to use licensed disposal sites that are being operated to acceptable standards.

We have a Waste Management Plan that emphasizes a “Cradle to Grave” approach. This means we take responsibility for waste from its creation (“cradle”) to its final disposal (“grave”). We ensure waste separation by providing clearly labeled bins for different materials and have partnered with a government-approved waste collection service provider to ensure proper disposal.

Carbon footprints and circularity are issues in the operations of data centres, how do you recycle and manage your waste? is the community involved in your recycling process and in your waste management?

For circularity to be effective and sustainable, we start considering materials usage from the design phase. We also leverage innovative technologies and sustainable materials to minimise energy consumption, water usage, and waste generation throughout a facility’s lifecycle:

Nigeria is not focussed yet on using renewables when it comes to powering data centres, is OADC looking to do this?

Yes, certainly. OADC has recently completed a feasibility study regarding using renewable energy in our data centres. We have already launched a pilot project using solar power at one of our South African data centres, and we plan to roll out further solar installations wherever we operate in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

We are also investigating other forms of renewable energy for future projects, including wind and wave energy.

 

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