In March this year , we attended Data Centre World ( DCW ) in London to meet with leading data centre experts . David Lloyd , Johnson Controls ’ Head of Connected Energy Performance , talks to us about how the company is helping to deliver the next generation of building technologies while remaining proactive about sustainability .

How is Johnson Controls delivering the next generation of building technologies and life cycle services ?

Johnson Controls is a product business as well as a service and delivery business . A large proportion ( 90 %) of our R & D is focused on sustainable product development . This ranges from our software services that bring energy benefits through to our products and the materials they ' re made from . Our full portfolio is driven by both security protection and detection on a physical and energy performance basis .

How does your unique portfolio of integrated solutions help to support hundreds of data centres and other critical facilities around the world ?

Data centres are unique facilities , demanding a high level of physical security , consuming a great deal of energy and requiring a high degree of energy control .

We deliver across the globe . Our product portfolio ranges from chillers and air handling units within facilities , to mechanical protection , suppression and physical security . Our fire detection and protection products work closely to ensure facilities are safe . Our fire detection combined with our physical security ensures that there are safe means of access and egress .

What key trends and developments have you witnessed in the data centre space over the last couple of years ?

Energy efficiency is a key area for data centres . These facilities consume a large amount of power and there ' s a lot of work being done to ensure they meet net zero goals . Everything we put in must be energy efficient . Our OpenBlue software solution , Central Utility Plant , has been deployed into a data centre in the north of England , where our plant takes over the building controls with AI inputs to optimise energy .

What should data centre organisations consider when it comes to sustainability and technical design when building the modern data centre ?

Data centres are global which means they are spread out . What ' s unique about data centres is their ability to rinse and repeat every centre . Businesses like ours , with its central design functions and technical ability , can build playbooks for clients and their requirements which allows us to take that rinse and repeat process and bring it to different countries and regions . This gives us a foothold in that space , then add to that our product ability where we ’ re able to tweak the product to the client ' s needs . In terms of life cycle , we make sure our technologies last a lifetime as they are built with low sustainability impact .

Why was it important for Johnson Controls to have a presence at DCW and how will you continue powering the data centres of tomorrow ?

Our brand is well known , but it ' s still important to meet our clients at shows and take the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge about demands and business progression opportunities . It ’ s important the feedback we receive from clients is integrated into the business to ensure we develop and succeed . �

David Lloyd , Johnson Controls ’ Head of Connected Energy Performance

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