Data Center, Digital Twin & AI for Sustainability
Auditorium | 9 October, 14:00 – 17:30
Moderated by Chiara Tagliaro, IPN–Polimi

A strategic forum bringing together researchers, technology providers, and industry stakeholders to explore how data centers, digital twins, and artificial intelligence accelerate sustainability in the built environment. From energy optimization to urban resilience and decarbonization, the event provided a unique platform for knowledge exchange, cross-sector collaboration, and the dissemination of digital solutions in support of the green and digital transition.

Co-organized with the Italian Proptech Network and with contributions from European research projects and market leaders, the session examined how new technologies enhanced energy efficiency, resilience, and the environmental performance of digital infrastructures—a domain that is becoming increasingly strategic for Europe’s competitiveness.

AGENDA

14:00–14:05 | Motivational Opening – by IPN–Polimi
Chiara Tagliaro (IPN–PoliMi)

The opening remarks introduced the key themes of data center sustainability, highlighting how digital and technological innovation is not only a lever for energy efficiency but also a factor of resilience and competitiveness for the European real estate and infrastructure sectors.

14:05–14:20 | Introduction – Public interest and impacts of data centers
Marco Leone (NOMISMA) and Giulia Pastorella (Member of the Chamber of Deputies and City Councilor in Milan)

A keynote presented the economic, social, and environmental impacts of data centers. The potential and challenges of data center development were highlighted. The speakers explored why it is important to support the sector with appropriate legislation and regulations (especially in the Italian context) to protect the public interest while taking advantage of the positive impacts of this growing market.

14:20–15:05 | Background and Perspectives for Innovation – Roundtable
A dialogue with key actors representing the interests of industry players at the European level, essential to creating a favorable framework for innovation:

Luca Dozio (Datacenter Observatory, PoliMI) – Major market trends
Gianluca Metti (RICS, Starching Maestrale) – Why data centers are not an evolution of logistics and the role of tenants in driving data center development
Mattia Mariani (IDA, Deerns) – New Key Performance Indicators for different stakeholders and what each group values (operators vs users)

The discussion provided market and process perspectives to understand how different stakeholders and tools could support the sustainable growth of the sector throughout the entire data center lifecycle.

15:05–15:50 | Technology Block – Roundtable
A discussion with technology providers who are shaping the future of data centers, showcasing practical applications:

Giuseppe Zummo (In Quattro) – Two-phase cooling solutions to increase efficiency and reduce consumption
Alessandro Piccinini (R2M Solution) – Applications of digital twins to support decarbonization processes
Luigi Filippo Borea (ICOPOWER) – Voltage regulation, microinterruptions, and power quality: optimizing energy flows

An overview of emerging technologies that combined sustainability, innovation, and operational advantages.

15:50–16:20 | Coffee Break

16:20–17:05 | R&D Block – Key Results from EU Projects
This session highlighted the latest outcomes from EU-funded research and innovation projects that developed concrete and replicable solutions to enhance the sustainability and energy efficiency of data centers:

Marcello Aprile (PoliMI, HYCOOL-IT) – High-efficiency cooling technologies to reduce energy consumption and emissions
DYMAN Project – Dynamic modeling methodologies to improve system management and optimization
MODERATOR Project – Integration of immersion cooling, advanced thermal storage, and innovative insulation to maximize waste heat recovery

The R&D block demonstrated how European research was already generating innovations ready for market uptake.

17:05–17:20 | Closing Keynote
Alessandro Viviani (Teha Group, Ambrosetti)

The presentation provided an overview of the development of data centers in Italy, analyzing the main growth drivers in comparison with leading global regions and the reasons behind the recent acceleration in the country. It outlined a credible scenario of evolution beyond the current regional concentration, driven by demand and the sector’s growth potential.

Special attention was given to the adoption of technological best practices, the transformation of data centers into true data and energy hubs—shifting from a critical challenge to a valuable resource for the power system—and the broader supply chain challenges, with concrete proposals for action.

The presentation linked these insights to economic and strategic perspectives, offering a forward-looking view on the key role of data centers in Europe’s green and digital transition.

17:20–17:30 | Q&A and Closing