From headline grabbing power figures (remember the FOCUS magazine cover in November 2012 showing the industry used 322Twh of energy) to whitespace and technology trends, the DatacenterDynamics Industry Census has become a key metric for data center industry growth.

Each year the census takes on greater importance as global recognition of the industry grows, from emerging to established markets.

For example, last year industry census results highlighted a decrease in rising energy use, beyond expectations, under half of the 2012 figures at 7% . But power use grew heavily with the rising number of projects in MEA and LATAM.

The 2013 Census also predicted that spending in APAC in 2014 will grow by 8.6% from its 2013 figure of US$14.3bn while whitespace in the UK continued to decline, shrinking by 5%.

Such figures highlight just how fast the industry is changing, and offer guidance for the industry beyond those investing in data center operations, from policy makers to equipment vendors.

This makes the your input crucial.

The Census is recognised as the largest and most far-reaching piece of global research undertaken into data centers each year, with more than 20,000 responses received in the last three years alone.

This year the survey has many new inclusions - from software defined data centers to further questions around outsourcing and cloud growth.

For every survey completed, DatacenterDynamics donates US$5 to the charity Engineers without Borders, which sends volunteers to communities in 12 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America where they carry engineering projects.

The target donation this year is US$35,0000 – which means we are calling for at least 7,000 responses. Last year US$30,000 was donated.

So it you are an owner, operator, provider, consultant or vendor working in this space, then take fifteen minutes to fill in the survey. Not only could you help enrich a community, but offer vital insight into the growth of your industry.

Anyone who fills in the report receives a complimentary short report containing Census results valued at £495.

You can fill in the DatacenterDynamics Industry Census by following the link here.