Join to explore cutting-edge solutions, from renewable-powered facilities and closed-loop cooling to underwater data centres, and collaborate with researchers and industry to shape a more sustainable digital future!
Research goal
Develop a systems-level understanding of sustainable data centres by linking computing demand with energy, water and cooling requirements. Build an interdisciplinary student team capable of evaluating current data centre technologies, identifying opportunities for improved sustainability and investigating emerging solutions.
Over time, the VIP will seek to develop projects with industry and research partners that can progress from analysis and modelling toward practical demonstrations and prototype systems.
ChallENG Area
Vertically Integrated Projects
Research Areas
Sustainable Data Centres, Computing & Optimisation, Renewable Energy Systems, Cooling & Water Management, Underwater Data Centres
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 6 - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
- Goal 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
- Goal 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
- Goal 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
- Goal 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
- Goal 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
- Join this team for
- Key projects
- Desired Skills
- Industry Partners
Credit
✔ 6 UoC per course
Students may investigate how computing workloads and hardware affect energy and cooling demand; model and optimise energy, water and thermal performance; compare air, evaporative, liquid and closed-loop cooling approaches; investigate renewable energy and DC power integration; assess water availability and non-potable water options; explore data centre location and infrastructure requirements; and evaluate emerging concepts such as underwater or containerised data centres.
Projects will aim to integrate multiple disciplines rather than treating computing, power, cooling and water as separate problems.
Students from electrical engineering, computer science/computer engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, renewable energy engineering, civil/environmental engineering and related disciplines are encouraged.
Useful skills may include programming, data analysis, modelling and simulation, optimisation, energy systems analysis, thermodynamics and heat transfer, fluid mechanics, water engineering, electronics and networking, CAD/design and technical communication. No single student would be expected to have all of these skills.
- CDC Data Centres
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- NVIDIA
- Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre
- National Computational Infrastructure (NCI)
Team Academic Lead
Prof. Greg Leslie
Lead academic
School of Chemical Engineering
g.leslie@unsw.edu.au
Ned Ekins-Daukes
Head of School
Sch: PV & Renewable Energ
nekins@unsw.edu.au