Page 36 - EngineerIt February 2021

INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY

Danfoss decarbonises by building green data centres

ext year, Danfoss headquarters will be CO2 neutral. And, in 2024, by In response to the exponential growth of data centre energy
Nutilising excess heat, Danfoss’ own data centres will provide 25% of the consumption, Danfoss decided to build data centres that will be examples
headquarters heating needs. The digital transformation and green transition for future climate-friendly designs. Danfoss has the technologies to cool
go hand in hand. data centres in a greener way, to reduce energy consumption within them,
and to reuse the excess heat for other applications.
“Using the latest technologies for cooling and heat recovery, we
transform data centres from energy consumers to sources of sustainable
energy. It is exciting to see that in action at our own data centres,” says
Jürgen Fischer, president, Danfoss Climate Solutions.
Data centres as power plants
An example of this concept is Danfoss headquarters in Nordborg, Denmark.
In 2015, it was heated 100% by fossil fuel. By 2022, it will be CO2 neutral
and in 2024, reused excess heat from Danfoss data centres will provide
25% of the overall heat supply for the 250,000 square meters of factories
and offices. n

How to approach future-proofing your work environment

ow more than ever, companies are looking for ways to help ensure their
Nwork environments better reflect the needs of modern employees in the
‘new normal’. Ian McAlister, general manager at CRS Technologies, says a
critical component of this is for human resources practitioners to rethink
workforce and employee planning, management, performance and
experience strategies.
Even though there are a myriad of strategies and tactical interventions at
a company’s disposal to do this, the underlying theme centres on being less
reliant on traditional roles and more focused on the skills required for a
digitally transformed business that will contribute to it becoming future-proof.
“Employees must therefore be encouraged (by both human resources
and their direct reports) to learn new skills that fit into these digital
requirements. While some steps to change organisational behaviour can
include embracing remote working at all levels, alternating employees at
smaller offices using hot desks, and leveraging digital technologies in more
innovative ways, the core is using technology as an enabler to deliver more
rapid business value,” says McAlister. A soft touch
“Of course, these uncertain times require more than simply focusing on
Enhancing skills remote work and reskilling employees. Companies must also become more
To this end, companies must consider using technology to augment and not caring about the welfare of their people, no longer approaching employment
replace people. on a ‘by-the-numbers’ system. Instead, it is about creating a corporate
“This fits in with the empowerment message that is permeating the culture that reflects a renewed focus on purpose and ethics in a digital-
South African workforce. With job losses a constant threat, business leaders centric world,” he says.
must explore how technology can be used to bring more skills to existing This means companies can no longer be tied to static structural
employees, instead of finding ways to replace them with automation. After strategies more focused on traditional approaches. They must be able to
all, people will always be necessary to deliver the strategic insights that out-manoeuvre any future uncertainty by being fluid in their outlook – both
machine learning cannot provide on its own,” he adds. short and long-term.
Remote working will contribute to the transformation of talent “This requires reassessing assumptions, re-evaluating scenarios, and
management. With many employees, and the companies themselves adapting faster to current and potential future disruption. People will remain
preferring remote working, future-proofing the business will entail an the dominant force in any organisation. By preparing fit-for-purpose plans that
element of de-linking people from place. In other words, the office is no unlock all the value they can give, they can better evolve, as heath and
longer the only enabling environment to grow and nurture staff. economic conditions change. While embracing digital technologies will be
According to McAlister, it is now about recruiting talent globally, important in this regard, it comes down to changing mindsets as an
adopting new metrics for onboarding, promotion and leadership training, instrumental first step in helping future-proof the business,” he concludes. n
and better integrating human resources with the day-to-day operations of
the business. Download the white paper: https://www.crs.co.za/white-paper-download

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