Intelligent Data Centres Issue 23 | Page 18

BY THE END OF 2021 , EVERY MAJOR CITY IN THE UK WILL HAVE PILOTED 5G .
THERE ARE SOME EXCITING INNOVATIONS SUCH AS NEW HYDROGEN CELL TECHNOLOGY THAT ARE SHOWING SOME EARLY , PROMISING RESULTS .
DATA CENTRE PREDICTIONS
development . As a result , there will be an increase in the need for data centres in Edge locations . This will in turn fuel the need for the rapid deployment of data centres – modular , containerised and POD facilities . the financial crash in 2008 leading to a lost generation of technical engineers which has been slow to recover . Recently , there have been some promising industry initiatives , but many have been put on hold due to the pandemic . Ongoing potential wasted resources such as the heat generated by data centres . The introduction of district heating systems have been successfully delivered in many metropolitan areas in mainland Europe . There is no doubt that the excessive heat generated by data centres could be put to good use as is seen in Amsterdam – which is to become the first Dutch city to have a data centre capable of warming local homes .
Smart Cities
James Hart , CEO at BCS ( Business Critical Solutions )
By the end of 2021 , every major city in the UK will have piloted 5G . 5G will move from concept to reality , bringing with it huge data capacity , high speeds and low latency . 5G will be essential for supporting the Smart City infrastructure of the future . Ranging from intelligent public transit systems , smart buildings and infrastructure , plus connected public safety platforms , are just some of the Smart City innovations that are in

BY THE END OF 2021 , EVERY MAJOR CITY IN THE UK WILL HAVE PILOTED 5G .

Investment appeal
There is no doubt that the way companies operate has changed and that a degree of working from home is likely to continue for some businesses when the pandemic is over . This will be used to drive cost savings into business operations as many firms consider downsizing and their employees reap the benefits of a more flexible approach to the working day that facilitates an optimal work / life balance . This will mean a change in the investment profile for the commercial property sector which may consider a move into the more vibrant and profitable data centre sector . The value of data centres will increase as the value of data itself increases . High-value assets are part of the appeal as buildings and equipment can be secured against the asset combined with a sticky revenue stream , because data centre migration is a headache . However , history has shown that new entrants into the sector often face issues over market understanding and trust , so this move may not be as simple as it seems .
The cloud
There is no doubt that cloud will continue to dominate the sector , with hyperscalers that are designed to expand rapidly and host cloud services unlikely to slow down because of increased investment in public cloud services due to the pandemic . In fact , cloud will play a vital role in helping companies adapt to the ‘ new normal ’, enabling them to become more agile , responsive and adaptive than ever before .
The only real limitation is the decreasing talent pool in the sector which is set to get worse and there are real concerns that it will impact the sector ’ s ability to deliver the increasing demand .
The skills shortage in the industry has been an issue for over a decade , with

THERE ARE SOME EXCITING INNOVATIONS SUCH AS NEW HYDROGEN CELL TECHNOLOGY THAT ARE SHOWING SOME EARLY , PROMISING RESULTS .

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