CIBSE’s newest Special Interest Group, our Data Centres Group (DCG), was launched in March this year. As with all Groups, those present were invited to nominate themselves to join the committee, which is tasked with organising activities for the DCG members. Felix Cox, Associate Director at AECOM volunteered to join. We caught up with him to ask his motivation and future vision for the Group. Here’s what he said:
“I’m really excited to have joined the committee of the CIBSE Data Centre Special Interest Group (DCG). This is a pivotal time for the data centre industry – we’re facing unprecedented change driven by the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and the need to balance ever-growing demand with ambitious sustainability targets, and operational performance. Being involved in shaping that conversation through a non-partisan, respected body like CIBSE feels not just timely, but essential.
One of the reasons I stepped forward to volunteer was because I believe the industry has been crying out for an independent voice. Many of the groups and forums that currently exist are supported – directly or indirectly – by specific commercial interests. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it can limit how far we push innovation or how widely best practice is adopted. CIBSE offers a platform to gather input from across the profession, to focus on evidence-based research, and to develop technical standards and guidance that can benefit everyone within the sector and support all involved going forward without fear of criticism.
It’s also exciting to be part of the UK data centre community, which continues to act as a design hub for projects not only here at home, but across the whole of Europe. The creativity and technical talent in the UK are incredible, and I see real potential for our group to help define and export leading-edge thinking on everything from energy efficiency to new cooling technologies.
My personal ambition within the DCG is to help drive a more open and urgent conversation around sustainability in data centres – particularly how we use energy and water, how we measure and manage those resources, and how we integrate with wider urban systems. Waste heat capture, for example, has huge potential to support district heating and reduce carbon emissions, but it still isn’t being leveraged widely. I’d love to see us break down some of the barriers there.
Equally important to me is engaging with the next generation of engineers. Data centres are still a bit of a mystery to many young people entering the built environment sector, yet they’re at the heart of how we live, work and communicate today. I think we have a real opportunity to inspire curiosity, share knowledge, and help early-career professionals see how their skills could help shape a smarter, more sustainable digital future.
On a personal level, volunteering has already been incredibly rewarding. I’m enjoying the chance to meet new people from across the industry and to learn from others with very different perspectives. Whether it’s hearing how a sustainability consultant approaches the same challenge I’m facing from a design angle or getting insight from someone working more on the operational side – those exchanges are invaluable.
More broadly, I believe volunteering for an organisation like CIBSE is important because it helps keep our industry collaborative and future focused. It’s easy to become siloed in your day-to-day work, and volunteering reminds you of the bigger picture. It also helps build the shared knowledge base we all rely on – if no one contributes, we all miss out.
There’s a lot of work to do, but I genuinely believe this is a time of opportunity – and I’m looking forward to playing my part.”
If you are interested in joining the Data Centres Group, to receive invitations to future events, invitations to respond to consultations and to receive updates about the data centre sector, join the Group today by updating your profile. Membership of Special Interest Groups is free for all, whether you are a member of CIBSE or not.