'We Have To Be Brave To Tackle What's Ahead': A Look Into AI's Influence On Next-Gen Data Center Demands

The data center industry is growing at a rapid rate, with artificial intelligence as one of the key drivers of this expansion. Graphic processing units, which are chips that can help accelerate and better handle AI workloads, are a particular driver. 

The global data center GPU market is valued at nearly $120B and is projected to jump to $228B by the end of 2030, showing the demand for high-performance computing and generative AI applications. 

SET3, a company providing cleaning and consulting services to data centers, knows how important it is to meet next-gen demand. 

“We have to be brave to tackle what’s ahead of us in meeting the infrastructure demands of this rapidly evolving industry,” SET3 Director of Critical Infrastructure Solutions Kevin Beck said. 

Beck attended Bisnow’s DICE National event in May, speaking on a panel discussing how data centers need to keep up with AI and next-gen GPU demands.

Bisnow spoke with Beck about key takeaways from the event, data center infrastructure challenges and how SET3 is pivoting to meet future AI and GPU growth. 

Bisnow: What were some trends that stood out to you at the DICE event?

Beck: There were a couple. First, individual corporations have to set up their own regulations for governing artificial intelligence. While we have federal standards for AI, individual corporations are going to have to figure out their usage and how they're going to control that. 

Other trends include direct-to-chip cooling and how water is a huge resource that data centers are consuming. We’re seeing that some areas are restricting water use, and data centers need to work with the local municipalities to better manage these resources. Of course, power will always be in the conversation.  

Bisnow: Speaking of water and power, what do you think should happen now as data center demand continues to grow? 

Beck: When I started back in the ’90s, to have a cabinet with five to seven kilowatts was the norm. Now, we have cabinets going in that are one megawatt, and these AI cabinets are coming in at 3,500-4,500 pounds. 

If you've got an enterprise data center, how will their raised access floor handle that?

For older legacy data centers, where are they running their cooling lines? Are they running them from under the floor or above the equipment? What are the standards going to be? If we are not planning ahead, we will be so far behind the curve. 

Bisnow: Do you think today’s data center infrastructure can meet the demands of energy management and cooling?

Beck: No. If the companies that have the big money, like Amazon Web Services, are saying they're not keeping up with demand, then it's most likely nobody else is. One example of this is a data center Elon Musk was leasing in Oregon which caught fire in the battery room. It clearly shows that the demand for power puts a strain on our facilities. 

While AI is a solution, it's still an infant to the data center world and rapidly changing, so we have to make sure to be on pace with its evolution. 

Bisnow: How is SET3 pivoting to be more AI-ready? 

Beck: We're a two-tiered company. One side of our company is environmental and focuses on cleaning and maintenance. One of the owners on that side is developing new standards of cleanliness for data centers, specifically for AI. 

My side of the building focuses on raised access floor infrastructure, and we are already adopting heavier tile loads to retrofit legacy data centers so that they can handle heavier cabinets. We're using what are called super structures to help support the floor so that it can handle rolling loads or the weight of equipment like our server racks.

We have two projects going on right now where we're retrofitting a 120K SF data center with a heavier load panel to upgrade the facility. We’re also doing a 12K SF data center where we’re putting a 3,000-pound panel in to upgrade their facility for AI. 

Bisnow: What is SET3 planning for the future as GPU technology and AI push forward? 

Beck: AI is going to be in every aspect of our lives, and growing at a faster rate than we expected. In fact, I was recently at a presentation with Nvidia, and an engineer from the company said, “What you see today, you won't recognize a year from now.” That's how fast we are growing. I think big corporations are going to have to adopt or adapt to GPU technology, use AI and keep up with the apps that we have. 

At SET3, we’re seeing ourselves becoming more like a consulting firm. Also, we're partnering with other experts in fields that we're not experts in and bringing them in as a one-stop shop so that we can provide better services. Whether it be floor and ceiling infrastructure, mechanical and electrical, or hiring a structural engineer to look at our customer’s current circumstances, we want to cover all aspects of their needs. 

We want to continue to adapt and evolve as a corporation, as I think everybody in our industry is going to have to continue to do.

This article was produced in collaboration between Studio B and Sterile Environment Technologies. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

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