Every second an AI data center operates, it produces massive amounts of heat.
We often think of cooling needs separately from heat. For years, that is how systems were built. In most facilities, waste heat has to be managed, properly expelled, and is then forgotten. The heat may not be needed by the data center, but the question arises: Where else could this energy be used?
As server densities increase and next-generation chips push power demands ever higher, waste heat is no longer a byproduct to manage—its power waiting to be harnessed. Waste heat, after all, is simply energy waiting to be captured and repurposed as the valuable energy source it truly is.
What if energy use was viewed differently by data centers and the systems around them? Rather than focusing on a data center’s enormous power demands, let’s recognize data centers are part of a larger energy network. They are capable of giving back through waste heat recovery and redistribution.
Preparing for Data Center Growth
The impact of technology on society is evident when you observe people on their phones. We use AI for everything from data analysis to music creation, and this is only the beginning. Data center growth has skyrocketed in the United States. As a result, demand is forecasted to continue growing at a rate of over 10%.1
The need for data center growth means there is also a rising need for locations to build data centers, and enough power and water to support the build. This is where things get complicated.
Demand for power and concern over water supplies are already hot topics across the U.S. It is more important than ever to be strategic in how we construct our cities, leverage our available resources, and work with the data centers, as they have become integral to our lives.
Data Center Energy Management: Lessons Around the Globe
This shift in thinking about how data centers can coexist to optimize energy and water usage is already happening in parts of the world. In Europe, regulations are being introduced that would require sizeable data centers to evaluate waste heat recovery options. Sweden, for example, is repurposing waste heat to warm schools, municipal buildings, and homes, including more than 2,500 residential apartments.2
Each region throughout the world may face different regulatory conditions and climate factors, but the underlying principles still apply. Generating heat is necessary, and giving this energy a second life can positively impact overall energy needs and system efficiency.
Thinking Beyond the Boxes: How Can Data Center Heat Be Used?
The ultimate question is where this waste energy could be utilized. Huge AI data centers are often constructed far from cities, and running miles of pipe would not only be costly but also difficult to implement.
To start unlocking that potential, it’s important to look at thermal management systems as a connected whole. Instead of thinking about individual components—chillers, pumps, fan coil walls, cooling distribution units — consider their interactions.
The best-performing facilities integrate air- and liquid-cooling systems and optimize heat rejection through state-of-the-art chiller plant controls. They also rely on intelligent controls and services to monitor performance, detect anomalies, and adapt to real-time loads and weather conditions.
An integrated approach creates useful ways to put excess heat to work. Strategically implemented, tools like heat exchangers, water-cooled equipment, thermal storage, and even heat pumps can transform low-grade heat into a valuable resource.
Low-grade heat could also be used in partnership with other facilities if planned strategically. Many processes in different industries require heat and could create symbiotic systems with data centers. Even environmental strategies such as carbon capture could be employed. Coordination and collaboration with cities, district energy plants, and other industries would be required early on in planning processes, which may make it challenging, but a sustainable future is worth it.
What Services Can Help Recover Data Center Waste Heat?
Recovering waste heat isn’t just a matter of technology and hardware. Systems need to run smoothly, and uptime is critical.
Smart tools, including remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and performance analytics, help detect issues before they escalate. Mechanical equipment will eventually need servicing, and trained technicians in both equipment and systems provide an invaluable benefit, helping to prevent loss.
When service representatives are involved early and are available, they can help systems recover quickly and optimize performance, limiting thermal waste.
Why Does Data Center Efficiency Matter?
High performance isn’t just a design goal—it’s a daily advantage that shows up in how your facility operates. An efficient, well-maintained, and optimized system reduces energy usage, lowers total cost of ownership, and makes a data center more sustainable over time.
With high energy prices and limited water supplies, optimizing is more critical every day. Solutions that include dry coolers, hybrid systems, and load-balancing strategies help take some of that pressure off without sacrificing performance.
Designing for optimized energy efficiency and recovering waste heat isn’t just about saving money. The ability to reduce energy demand on the grid will be critical for all today and into the future.
Waste Heat Utilization: Giving Back Can Change Everything
Our desire to utilize technology isn’t going to decrease, which means we need data centers. When paired with thoughtful planning and cooperation from local stakeholders, data center heat reuse can create partnerships with communities. These relationships will be crucial as data centers expand and energy prices rise. The opportunity is there to work together.
It’s time to shift the conversation to how we can leverage data centers waste heat to benefit nearby buildings or lower local energy demand, so everyone mutually benefits.
The heat is already there. Together, we can give purpose to all the power and energy we already have and turn it into a strategic advantage.
