Eight global data centre operators have joined hands to form the Asia-Pacific Data Centre Association (APDCA) to represent the collective interests of the data centre industry in formulating policies and regulations.
The association aims to identify common positions between data centre operators, suppliers, and stakeholders towards achieving sustainable growth.
The founding members of APDCA include AirTrunk, Digital Realty, Equinix, Global Switch, NTT Global Data Centres, Princeton Digital Group, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) and Vantage Data Centres.
These companies represent 40 percent of the APAC market excluding Mainland China, according to Synergy Research Group.
APDCA and its members will work with governments to co-develop policies for enhancing the security and resiliency of data centres, minimise environmental impact, and deliver positive economic benefits to the local communities.
The APAC data centre colocation market in 2023 supported 10,233 MW of IT capacity, accounting for about 40 percent of the global market. This is expected to grow to 19,069 MW by 2028 as per the estimates by Structure Research.
Asia is at the epicentre of this growth and surging demand for managed data services.
Jeremy Deutsch, interim chairperson of the APDCA, said as economies in the region accelerate demand for digital services through the adoption of 5G, generative artificial intelligence (AI), the internet-of-things (IoT) and cloud computing, a clear and aligned vision for the role of digital infrastructure and data centres has never been more important.
“APDCA will represent this essential industry in the region, with a commitment to support the interests of our members, our industry and the people, businesses, and communities we serve,” he added.
STT GDC’s Group Chief Investment & Strategy Officer, Jonathan King in a LinkedIn post said it was a “great step forward” for the DC industry in APAC.
“ST Telemedia Global Data Centres is proud to be a founding member to help drive the industry forward,” he said.
APDCA is a sister organisation to the European Data Centre Association, a key voice in the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact which includes over 100 data centre operators and trade associations committed to using technology and achieving ambitious reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to make Europe climate-neutral by 2030.
The APDCA will be governed by a board named by the founding members. The board will convene shortly to elect a chairperson and set the agenda for the association.