PodChats for FutureCOO: Ensuring DC sustainability and regulatory alignment in 2026

In this PodChats with FutureCOO episode, Daniel Pointon, Group Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at STT GDC, discusses how COOs can prepare for 2026 by balancing AI-driven growth with sustainability and regulatory alignment. 

Among others, Daniel examines:

The Importance of Managing AI's Surging Energy Demands and Its Impact on Infrastructure
AI is fundamentally reshaping the energy requirements of data centres. GPU-based computing is significantly increasing power demand and straining local grids, even as new technologies like liquid cooling deliver greater efficiency. Markets such as Indonesia and Thailand are scaling infrastructure proactively, while Malaysia and Singapore face capacity constraints due to limited grid capacity, highlighting different national trajectories compared with North America’s gigawatt-scale expansions.

Aligning with National Sustainability Agendas to Drive Industry Growth
Sustainability has become a defining factor for continued industry growth. Renewable energy remains the most effective lever for emissions reduction, but supply in Asia Pacific is still limited and regulatory frameworks are evolving. Governments are increasingly embedding efficiency requirements such as PUE thresholds into permitting. At the same time, closer collaboration with utilities companies is becoming essential to align infrastructure development with long-term grid readiness. While AI is driving higher resource consumption, it is also unlocking productivity gains and sustainability benefits across other sectors—a dual role that some regulators are beginning to recognise.

Leveraging Innovation for Efficiency Gains
Innovation is enabling a new standard of efficiency. The shift of suitable workloads from CPUs to GPUs delivers major improvements in computational output per unit of electricity, while liquid cooling brings energy efficiency to the next level by lowering PUE values, sometimes to as low as 1.1. Every new STT GDC facility is designed to be liquid cooling-ready, with dozens of active deployments already operational, signalling tangible progress toward sustainability goals.

Embedding ESG into Growth Strategies 
Long-term competitiveness depends on embedding sustainability into growth strategies. COOs must evaluate not only technological suitability but also the ESG credentials of solutions when making procurement and investment decisions. This dual focus ensures that infrastructure supports both business expansion and climate objectives.

Hear the full interview with CXOciety and explore his insights here.