Data centers: they store and process the growing masses of data being produced every day. Now, new research commissioned by Lenovo gives insight into the key factors influencing how IT leaders expect that data to influence their strategies, and how it will influence the way data centers of the future are designed, built and run.
From powering AI workloads efficiently to meeting urgent sustainability and compliance demands, the research reveals that data centers are falling short, with nearly half (45%) of IT leaders admitting their current infrastructure does not support their energy or carbon-reduction goals.
At the same time, an overwhelming 99% of IT and C-level decision makers in the region say data sovereignty will be critical to how data is collected, stored and processed in the years ahead. And while AI continues to accelerate data usage across industries, many organizations are still struggling to implement the technology effectively or power it sustainably, highlighting the growing gap between digital ambition and infrastructure reality. So how could future data centers be designed to accommodate the changing ways data needs to be managed?
Speed, sustainability and sovereignty
Lenovo’s Data Center of the Future study*, in partnership with Opinium, provides a blueprint for the key factors influencing the future design, technology and location of data centers. It comes as the data center market grows, and energy usage, sustainability and costs become critical considerations for IT decision makers in EMEA.
The first trend made apparent is that there is an urgent sustainability readiness gap, which requires a new approach. 92% of IT decision-makers prioritize technology partners who offer carbon offset services, and energy efficient innovation, yet only 46% say their current data center design supports sustainability goals. This gap underscores the growing environmental pressures of AI, automation and exponential data growth, with traditional cooling systems (such as air cooling) struggling to balance efficiency, cost and carbon reduction.
Secondly, it is clear that data sovereignty will be a critical factor for almost every IT decision maker. With 88% already viewing this as a priority, and nearly 99% expect it to remain critical over the next five years, it’s clear that compliance and control over where data resides will define future data center design. At the same time, 94% highlight low latency as a key requirement today and in the years ahead, driven by the growth of real-time applications and edge computing – adding further pressure to find the optimum location and setup.
Powering AI at scale will also determine how the data center of the future is designed to manage the masses of data being processed across EMEA. 90% of IT decision-makers believe AI will significantly increase organizational data usage in the next decade, and 62% expect AI and automation to have the greatest impact on IT strategy. Yet despite the promise, 41% admit their organization is not prepared to integrate AI efficiently.
Visualizing the data center of the future
This new study gives us unparalleled insight into how data centers need to be designed to meet the requirements and challenges of organizations. The data center of the future will be defined by how effectively it can scale for AI, deliver on sustainability targets, and operate with maximum energy efficiency.
As demand for compute accelerates, businesses will increasingly look to infrastructure partners who can deliver performance without compromise, and who take responsibility for reducing environmental impact. In the EMEA region, data sovereignty stands out as a particularly urgent priority, shaped by complex and extensive regional regulations alongside heightened scrutiny from CIOs and C-suites alike. Businesses must act now to align their infrastructure with these rising expectations, because preparing for the future starts with the choices they make today.
So how exactly could the data center of 2055 look?
Lenovo has worked with engineering firm AKT II and architects Mamou-Mani to consider how data centers could look in 30 years, as their importance to our personal and working lives continues to grow and energy demand increases.
“As architects and engineers, we have a responsibility to make data centers better, not just bigger. The Data Center of the Future project combines the evolving needs of businesses with practical pathways, from reusing mines and bunkers to high-altitude cloud modules, urban data villages, and data spas that pair server heat with public amenities”, said James Cheung, Partner at Mamou-Mani.
The concepts take the rack server data center model and leverage water cooling technology to boost their sustainability, while also making use of natural resources, disused spaces and unexpected locations to solve the challenges and meet needs of their users. The designs include:
The Floating Cloud: A novel concept involving the suspension or floating of the data center in the air, at an altitude of 20-30KM (safely away from commercial aircraft), with 24/7 energy from solar power and using pressurized closed liquid cooling loops to prevent air pollution. Smaller modules make the design feasible for floating in the air.
The Data Village: Located close to water sources such as rivers or canals, the Data Village involves a modular, stackable brick or pod system of data centers linked to city needs. This location benefits from enhanced liquid cooling and the ability to transfer waste heat to power or heat local amenities like schools, churches, or homes, as well as reducing latency thanks to its proximity to key locations.
This model also extends into a Data Spa. Powered by geothermal energy, this concept blends into natural landscapes (such as a valley, lagoon, or geothermal pools), creating a low-visual-impact and biophilic data center.
The Data Center Bunker: Utilizing disused tunnels, bunkers, or transport systems to minimize the need for new spaces to increase capacity. This allows for facilities to be setup in central locations with lower impact and latency, enhanced security resilience, and the subterranean location creates a naturally efficient heat management system.
Importantly, all of the concepts would require and have been designed to incorporate liquid cooling technology to address the issue of heat in data centers and the limitations of traditional air cooling. Liquid cooling uses less energy than air cooling, increasing the efficiency and sustainability of the concepts.
“Based on Lenovo’s liquid cooling technology, we show how natural resources and existing locations can reduce overheads and return energy to communities. While we don’t have a crystal ball to show exactly what the future holds for data centers, this playbook provides a glimpse of concepts that could move from ideas to pilots, faster and with less risk,” added James Cheung.
Meeting the challenges with smarter technology
To meet the dual challenge of increasing compute demand and stricter sustainability requirements, organizations must begin optimizing their infrastructure today. Lenovo Neptune liquid cooling technology offers a tangible and effective solution to future proof data centres, today. To tackle the high energy consumption and reliance on traditional air-based cooling methods, Neptune technology removes up to 98% of system heat directly at the source within a server rack. This means, as businesses scale their use of AI and advanced analytics, Neptune provides a future-ready solution that aligns with both performance objectives and environmental commitments.
Lenovo is committed to enabling smarter, more sustainable infrastructure at scale. And with Neptune liquid cooling technology available today, we’re already helping customers address the rising energy demands of AI by integrating liquid cooling solutions that are both highly efficient and immediately deployable. Future-ready data centers require a shift in mindset, one where sustainability is not retrofitted, but engineered into the system from the very beginning.
Read more about the Data Center of the Future study
Learn more about Lenovo Neptune® Liquid Cooling
Learn more about Lenovo’s Intelligent Sustainability Solutions Advisor (LISSA)
* The Data Center of the Future study features research from Opinium, commissioned by Lenovo, which surveyed 250 IT decision makers in companies of 250 employees or more in Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, the UK and UAE. Fieldwork was conducted in August 2025.
AI Transparency Statement: Some of the visual representations included in this work were created or enhanced using artificial intelligence tools, such as Midjourney, to support conceptual exploration and visual communication. These AI-generated images are intended to illustrate design intent and atmosphere; all underlying architectural ideas, spatial compositions, and design decisions were conceived and developed by the author.
