The 2013 UK DatacenterDynamics Industry Census provides an updated view of the UK data center industry. It found that the amount of in-house data center space continued to decline in 2013, though at a slower rate than 2012, while outsourced space increased. Total power consumption of UK data centers grew by an estimated 8.8% in 2013 and is predicted to increase at an average annual rate of 6.4% through 2016. While energy efficiency monitoring increased, concerns about the impact of rising energy costs on operations decreased compared to 2011.

1. DCD Industry Census 2013: UK
THE 2013 CENSUS – UK FIGURES
The 2013 DatacenterDynamics Industry Census provides an updated picture of the current state and development of the UK data center industry.
The Census covers a range of topics, including white space deployment trends, power consumption and investment in data center technologies.
Here we examine some of the findings related to white space, power consumption and monitoring
In 2013, the amount of data center white
space continued to decline in the UK,
although at a slower rate compared
with the previous year. The amount of
end user data center space which is
owned in-house shrank by just over
5% in 2013, compared with a decline
of over 10% in 2012. This trend was
partly compensated by an increase in
the volume of data center space that is
outsourced to a specialist provider.
To a large extent, trends in white space
deployment reflect developments in
the UK economy. Recent decline in the
amount of in-house data center space
has been highest in the ICT, finance and
public administration sectors and reflects
the impact of facility consolidation and
corporate rationalization, as well as
the introduction of ‘space-saving’ IT
architectures.
Going into 2014, the UK data center
industry is expected to see positive
growth in the volume of new white space
deployed. The amount of in-house data
center space will see positive growth as
some organizations expand their data
center space and others curtail their
recent round of consolidation. However,
the growth rate for in-house data center
space will be gradual compared with
that of outsourced space. By 2016, 28%
of all data center space is expected
to be outsourced compared with
23% in 2013.
Graph 1: UK Data Center White Space, 2011-13 (million m2)
4.0
3.5
0.70
0.75
0.84
2.95
2.80
2012
2013
3.0
million m2
White space deployment
2.5
2.0
3.30
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
2011
Key


Colo/shared/outsourced
End user In-house
Graph 2: Power Requirement 2013-2016
3.10 3.68
2013
GW
2016
GW
Graph 3: otal Power Requirement (Inner Pie) /
T
Power Demand by Industry Sector (Outer Pie)
165MW Retail personal services
380MW IT services
Healthcare 275MW
150MW Professional services
0.70 GW
100MW Energy utilities
2.40 GW
The long-term growth of the UK data
center sector partly depends on the
country’s ability to offer a favorable
environment for inward investment.
The UK sector is already one of the
world’s largest recipients of external
Banking
financial services 525MW
340MW Media telecommunications
Public administration 295MW
Colo/shared/outsourced
80
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165MW Industrial process
End user in-house

2. DCD Industry Census 2013: UK
data center investment. However, future
growth will depend on the mixture of
factors which encourage multinationals
to locate there.
Graph 4: Monitoring Energy Efficiency and Carbon Emissions,
2012-13 (% of respondents)
70.0%
Data center power
requirements
62.0%
60.0%
55.0%
50.0%
40.0%
42.0%
37.0%
37.0%
42.5%
36.0%
Key
31.5%
The power requirement of the UK data
center industry grew by an estimated
8.8% in 2013 to reach 3.10GW. Total
consumption was up from 2.85GW in
2012. The sectors most responsible
for driving the growing demand for
data center power in the UK are the
industry and manufacturing sectors, as
well as banking and financial services,
healthcare and telecoms and media.
Of the total 2013 power requirement,
700MW related to outsourced facilities.
This was up from 650MW in 2012.
In the five years to 2016, total power
demand from UK data centers is
predicted to grow at an average annual
rate of 6.4%, with the total requirement
now set to reach 3.68GW in 2016.
Despite this, the latter part of the decade
is likely to see growth start to plateau,
as the use of more energy efficient data
center technologies becomes more
widespread.
Steady growth in the demand for data
center power continues to encourage
increased monitoring by end users of
energy consumption habits. In 2013,
62% of end users monitored energy
efficiency on a continuous basis, up
from 55% in 2012.
However, despite the increased concern
with improving energy efficiency, UK
In the five years to 2016, total
power demand from UK data centers
is predicted to grow at an average
annual rate of 6.4%, with the
total requirement now set to
reach 3.68GW in 2016
30.0%
8.0%
10.0%
0.0%
2012
6.5%
2013
Energy Efficiency
2012
Continuously
Occassionally

21.5%


21.0%
20.0%
Never
2013
Carbon Emissions
Graph 5: Concern about Impact of Energy Costs on Operations
over Next 12 Months (% of respondents)
11%
Key
36%
data center operators remain much less
concerned about carbon emissions. In
2013, 21.5% of end users said they never
monitor carbon emissions, compared
with 6.5% who say they never monitor
energy efficiency. Moreover, there
appears to be little change over the
past year in the proportion of end users
who monitor carbon emissions on a
continuous or occasional basis.
Nevertheless, the UK remains within the
top group of countries globally in terms
of the percentage of organizations
which monitor carbon emissions on
either a continuous or occasional
basis. Furthermore, over the time the
proportion of organizations monitoring
carbon emissions is expected to rise.
Although concerns about the impact of
energy costs on data center operations
Significant impact

53%

Moderate impact

Slight or no impact
remain widespread, there appears to
have been a change in the degree of
end user concern.
When asked about the extent to which
energy costs are a concern, 36%
of respondents expressed concern
that energy costs would significantly
impact their data center operations
over the next 12 months. This figure
was down from 56% of respondents in
the 2011 Census. However, the number
of respondents who are moderately
concerned has risen from 37% in 2011
to 53% in the latest Census. Changes
in the degree of concern could reflect
improved optimism about the state of
the UK economy. It could also reflect
the spread of energy monitoring
techniques and the use of more energy
efficient technologies. n
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