Connect | London // DCD Connect Cooling Innovation Showcase

Hear from industry experts as they look into the opportunities and challenges facing cooling in the age of AI. With insights into key cooling technologies, where the market is heading and what impact will future requirements have on cooling innovation from those in the know.

AGENDA

10:30 - 10:45: Technology Insight: A New Approach to Data Centre Cooling in the AI Era

AI is pushing data centres into a new era of scale, density and complexity, exposing the limitations of conventional cooling technologies. As rack densities climb towards 1MW, cooling systems must become more efficient, scalable and responsive, while reducing their demands on space, power and water. In this Tech Showcase, Alan Beresford, Founder of EcoCooling, examines why today’s cooling strategies are struggling to keep pace with AI-driven loads and the increasingly dynamic thermal demands of next-generation data centres.

Drawing on decades of cooling and HVAC innovation, Alan will introduce a new generation of liquid cooling technology designed for the data centres of tomorrow. The session will explore how simpler engineering can deliver greater flexibility and scalability, manage liquid temperature spikes and reduce reliance on refrigeration, while significantly cutting water and energy consumption. Attendees will gain insight into practical approaches to preparing facilities for higher-density AI workloads without simply adding more cooling equipment.

Alan Beresford, Founder, EcoCooling

10:45- 11:30 Panel: Cooling the continent - Navigating Efficiency, Sustainability, and Scale in Europe’s Data Center Boom

As Europe’s data center market accelerates under the pressures of AI growth, digital transformation, and regulatory scrutiny, cooling has emerged as both a critical constraint and a powerful lever for innovation. This panel will explore the evolving landscape of data center cooling across Europe, where rising energy costs, water scarcity, and stricter environmental standards are reshaping infrastructure strategies. 

Our panel of experts will discuss the trade-offs between traditional air cooling and emerging liquid-based solutions, the impact of regional climate variability, and the role of heat reuse in circular energy systems. With a focus on how operators can balance performance, sustainability, and cost while future-proofing facilities against increasing rack densities and policy demands.

Sybrand Pretorius, Vice President of Accounts and Programs, Johnson Controls

Debora Bahiense – New Construction & Cooling-as-a-Service Lead EU, Ecolab

Joe Hurman, Principal Consultant, STL Partners

Jonathan Eaves, Founder and CEO, Edge Centres

11:30 - 12:10pm Liquid Cooling Master Class with DCD Academy

As AI workloads and high-density computing continue to transform the industry, liquid cooling is becoming an essential part of the modern data center.

Join DCD Academy for a 40-minute Master Class exploring our Liquid Cooling in Data Centers course. We'll examine why the shift from traditional air cooling to liquid cooling is accelerating, the technologies driving this transition, and what data center professionals need to know to support future-ready infrastructure.

Whether you're responsible for designing, operating or maintaining critical infrastructure, this masterclass will help you understand the opportunities, challenges and practical considerations of liquid cooling in today's data centers.

Learn more about the course here: https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/dcdacademy/all-courses-certifications/infra-evolution-series/

Vlad - Gabriel Anghel, Director of Solutions Engineering, DCD Academy