Airsys urges MPs to back data centre retrofits first

Airsys has urged MPs to prioritise optimisation of existing data centres in the UK's AI infrastructure policy, following a call for evidence from the Data Centre All-Party Parliamentary Group.

The cooling technology supplier said retrofitting older facilities and bringing more brownfield capacity into use should sit alongside plans for new large-scale developments. It argued that businesses need access to computing capacity before longer-term projects such as AI growth zones are delivered.

The debate comes as operators and policymakers weigh how to expand digital infrastructure while managing power constraints, planning delays and pressure on water use. Concerns over grid access and energy costs have become central to discussions about how quickly new capacity can be added.

Matthew Thompson, Managing Director, Europe, Airsys, said: "AI growth zones are clearly part of the mix, but these will take time to deliver. UK businesses need access to AI now, and better utilisation of existing sites has to be part of the answer."

Airsys said the main obstacle to new sites was not only planning consent or local agreement, but also the time needed to secure enough electricity supply. That reflects a wider industry concern that AI demand is outstripping the speed at which new infrastructure can be connected to the grid.

Near-term supply

Airsys also pointed to the location of new developments as an issue, arguing that an emphasis on regional projects could create latency concerns for some operators as inference workloads become more important and customers seek computing resources closer to where they are used.

That supports a broader case for upgrading established sites in areas that already serve business demand. By focusing on existing assets, operators may be able to release more compute capacity without waiting for entirely new campuses to be built and energised.

Thompson said: "While government policy has emphasised construction of new data centres and AI growth zones, these will take years to come on stream. Planning and local community agreement is one hurdle, but getting sufficient power onto these sites is the biggest bottleneck for the industry."

He added: "Government policy is also heavily focused on regional developments, which has raised concerns among some operators about latency issues as inference becomes more important.

"In the meantime, businesses need compute capacity now in strategic locations that don't compromise on latency."

Efficiency metrics

Airsys is arguing that older facilities can do more if operators improve cooling systems and power use. It said liquid cooling retrofits could reduce the share of electricity consumed by thermal management and make more power available for computing equipment.

In data centres, operators often track energy efficiency through Power Usage Effectiveness, or PUE, which compares total facility energy use with the energy consumed by IT equipment. Airsys said that measurement alone does not fully show how effectively a site turns available electrical capacity into useful compute output.

To address that, it has proposed two additional metrics: Power Compute Efficiency and Return on Invested Power. Airsys said these measures are intended to help operators identify under-used assets and judge whether a site is extracting sufficient computing value from its power allocation.

This emphasis on metrics forms part of a wider argument that the sector should look not only at how efficiently buildings run, but also at how much practical computing work they deliver. That becomes more relevant as AI systems place higher thermal demands on racks and grid capacity remains constrained in many parts of the country.

Airsys said retrofitting legacy sites and supporting development closer to customers could improve energy use, reduce water consumption and increase compute density. It warned that fragmented local planning rules and too much emphasis on large regional schemes could slow short-term upgrades.

Policy pressure

The company's comments also highlight a policy tension in the UK data centre market. Ministers and industry groups have promoted major new projects as part of a wider AI and economic growth agenda, but operators continue to face practical limits around electricity connections and the speed of planning approvals.

For suppliers such as Airsys, that creates an opening to argue that upgrading installed infrastructure offers a quicker route to extra capacity. The case rests on using sites that are already built, already connected in some form and already positioned near concentrations of demand.

Thompson said the government risked overlooking those shorter-term gains. "The government has correctly identified the UK's massive potential for economic growth through data centres and AI.

"But focusing purely on longer-term projects could mean more immediate opportunities to boost our AI capacity are lost."

Airsys said it wants policymakers and regulators to account for both retrofit projects and edge environments when shaping the next stage of UK data centre policy. Thompson added: "Clear, unified direction from central government and regulators is urgently required to ensure UK businesses get access to the capacity they need, where they need it.

"We want to ensure the government, legislators and regulators are aware of all the tools available to ensure the country is able to fully realise the benefit of all its AI and data centre infrastructure."