Contributed by: Aditya Vyas & Jody Houston, Centre for Population Health, Western Sydney Local Health District

Our fast moving digital world holds great potential to produce economic benefits and improve human health and wellbeing. The physical infrastructure of the internet is located in data centres – hosting an array of computer servers, cabling and other technology. Australia is actually one of the top five data centre hubs in the world – we have 243 facilities across the country, and one third of those are within Sydney. The NSW Planning Portal reveals a trend of more and larger data centres proposed in Western Sydney.

Data centres produce a huge demand for energy with estimates that up to 15% of Australia’s electricity will be used by data centres by 2030. Since more than half of our electricity is currently generated from coal, our use of the internet, streaming services, artificial intelligence (AI) and ‘cloud’ data storage is collectively contributing to climate change.

Data centres also generate a lot of heat from high-powered computing machines that need to operate 24/7. The location of data centres and their large physical footprint can exacerbate the Urban Heat Island Effect. Our development choices – such as reducing green spaces, removing tree canopy and locating these facilities near communities – can lock in urban temperatures into the future in Western Sydney which is already up to 10°C hotter than the rest of the city during extreme heat events. The Greater Sydney Heat Smart City Plan anticipates this issue by calling for Heat Smart Infrastructure which is interconnected, resilient and enables communities to survive and thrive.

There are potential health risks of data centres that we should also consider. The hot environments created by data centres need to be cooled in order to keep operating well. However, the choice of cooling system can potentially introduce health risks such as the growth of Legionella bacteria which can aerosolise and case outbreaks of pneumonia – although many data centres use very large air conditioning systems called ‘chillers’ which themselves require energy and water. The need for uninterrupted operation means that backup diesel fuelled generators are used when electricity from the grid is not available. When in use, generators create a lot of noise and release fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution, which can disperse to nearby communities and harm the health of people with lung and heart conditions. There is overwhelming evidence of a causal link between environmental noise, poor air quality and poor health.

The good news is that there are innovative ways we can address these challenges, obtaining the benefits of using ‘the cloud’ and the powerful potential of AI, while managing local environmental impacts. Engagement and open dialogue between industry, health, local government and planning is essential. Development applications can incorporate renewable energy to mitigate the climate impacts of data centres (some have already achieved NABERS 5-star ratings). We can also apply design and planning guidance such as the NSW Government Architect’s Better Placed policy and risk assessment frameworks such as Health Impact Assessment to co-design and shape the future of this critical infrastructure in Western Sydney.