The UK is now taking a hard look at the environmental footprint of data centres.
In late February, MPs launched a formal inquiry into the risks and opportunities to the sustainability of data centres, explicitly focusing on energy and water use and what this means for net zero and local impacts.
That scrutiny is justified: Ministers see data centres as critical to growth, and they’ve been treated as such – including their designation as Critical National Infrastructure in 2024.
Much of the current debate is driven by a handful of recurring assumptions. Some are grounded in fact, others less so – and all shape how communities respond to new data centre proposals.
Myth 1: “Data centres are just big boxes.”
Reality: They are now foundational infrastructure – but the local benefit story often isn’t landing.
The Commons Library briefing notes the sector’s economic role and cites estimates that data centres contribute around £4.7bn GVA and support tens of thousands of jobs (techUK estimates c.43,500), even if direct on‑site employment can be modest.
When communities only see a large building and don’t see the “why here, why now, what for us?”, objections become the default.
Myth 2: “The environmental impact is exaggerated.”
Reality: Energy and water are real issues – and pretending otherwise is a comms own‑goal.
MPs are asking exactly how much energy and water data centres will use, and officials cite projections that electricity demand from data centres could quadruple by 2030.
Separately, Ofgem has warned that around 140 proposed data centre projects could collectively require up to 50GW, exceeding the country’s current peak demand – raising questions about grid queues and trade‑offs with other decarbonisation priorities.
On water, the picture is nuanced.
Some facilities do use significant water for cooling, and AI‑driven computing can intensify resource demands.
But the sector is also becoming more water‑conscious: a techUK/Environment Agency‑linked survey of 73 English data centres found 51% use waterless cooling, 64% used under 10,000 m³/year, and 89% either measure water use or use systems that don’t require water for cooling.
The honest message is water use varies by design and cooling approach – and the direction of travel is toward tighter measurement and lower‑water systems, but it must be evidenced site‑by‑site.
Myth 3: “You win these arguments with facts.”
Reality: you win with trust + clarity + proof.
The inquiry itself signals that scrutiny will intensify, meaning operators can’t rely on generic “green” claims – they’ll need credible, transparent evidence and better public communication.
And there are tangible sustainability opportunities to show: waste‑heat reuse is moving from “nice idea” to practical option, with UK government‑backed examples of heat networks using data centre waste heat.
The Comms Playbook
- Build a coordinated narrative –Data centre operators can at times communicate like separate projects, but the debate is now national. A coordinated media and messaging approach should set consistent “baseline truths”: what a data centre is, what it powers, how energy/water are managed, and what “best practice” looks like. The parliamentary inquiry is a clear signal that the sector’s licence to grow depends on credible public accountability.
- Prove it: take communities and politicians to see it – The fastest way to cut through scepticism is first‑hand experience. Site visits for councillors, MPs, and communities are more persuasive than any PDF.
- Educate the next generation– If we want fewer objections in the years to come, start now with educational programmes with schools, colleges and universities. MPs are explicitly linking data centres to AI growth and national energy planning – the next cohort needs a clearer, less sensational understanding of what this infrastructure does and how it can be made sustainable.
- Make it visual – communities engage with what they can see and understand: short videos, simple animations of cooling systems, heat reuse diagrams, and VR walkthroughs for complex campuses.
The MP inquiry makes one thing unavoidable: data centres must now win public confidence as well as planning consent.
That will only happen through coordinated storytelling, honest acknowledgement of trade‑offs, and engagement that educates, demonstrates and involves people early.
