Pursuing Net-Zero Conference & Exhibition Speakers
Biographies / Presentation Outlines
ALTHEA COUSINS
Carbon Accounting
Carbon seems relatively easy to understand. However, as with anything important, the devil is in the details. We can’t develop a workable plan for dealing with carbon until we understand those details. Althea Cousins will help us to do that at 10:00 Wednesday.
Pretty much everyone is aware of operational carbon but embodied carbon is just as important. It consists of upfront carbon, use stage embodied carbon and end of life carbon. Embodied carbon contributes a considerable amount to the overall carbon footprint of a building. This is particularly important given predictions that the world will create one additional New York city’s worth of buildings each month for the next thirty-seven years (2060).
Althea will also discuss the carbon impact of products and the structure and role of EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations). Full carbon accounting for all stages of all products, infrastructure and activities is essential for a globally effective carbon mitigation plan. As the old saying goes, think global, act local(ly). Find out what you can do now and what you will have to do in the future. In the fight against climate change we might borrow another old adage: forewarned is forearmed.
TIM MULLINS & CRAIG FROSIO
Digital Network Upgrade – Case study in Brownfield Implementations
In this presentation we will examine the challenges specific to upgrading aged brownfield sites that to operate 24/7. The challenges that we will examine will include:
• Developing standards that deliver outcomes that improve availability and maintainability but with realistic affordability.
• Delivery approaches that minimise total cost.
• A series of creative technical solutions to overcome specific brownfield challenges.
• Conducting high impact works in a 24/7 critical care environments that support emergency departments and operating theatres.
Healthcare digitisation is on everyone’s radar at the moment. To hear the latest from the ‘coalface’ come and hear Tim’s and Craig’s presentation at 1:45 on Wednesday.
ROGER SAMUEL
Financial Implications of Sustainable Data Centres
Roger is a technology and telecom analyst at Jefferies and he has been covering the data centre and telecom sectors for the last ten years. At this session, Roger will discuss why the data centre industry has attracted so much investment in recent years. But in order to attract even more business and capital, data centre operators ought to focus on sustainability issues because cloud service providers – major data centre customers – are striving to meet their own environmental targets.
Having a meaningful and quantifiable environmental policy is becoming a financial imperative. However, investing in sustainable data centres could cost more in the beginning – existing buildings may need to be retrofitted, diesel generators need to be replaced and other steps taken to bring facilities into alignment with climate action targets, although the benefits would accrue over the long term in terms of customer wins, lower cost of funding, and lower risk of disruption.
Roger is a qualified Chartered Financial Analyst and he recently obtained the Certificate in ESG Investing by CFA Institute. While the technical aspects of data centre fit-out and operation are an obvious concern for attendees, a financial perspective is vital. To get that perspective, come and listen to Roger at 3:30 on Wednesday.
FARUKH ASLAM
DC Powered Buildings: A Leap Towards Net Zero
As the climate crisis persists, the need for the building industry to respond with Net Zero carbon emissions is becoming more and more apparent. In order to achieve this goal our building infrastructure has to be changed. Natural gas must be eliminated from buildings and renewable energy sources that capture and store energy must be implemented, and the total building load must be reduced.
When we look at the all-electric building of the future, the only way to effectively reduce the power necessary to keep our ageing electrical grids alive will be to move towards an all DC powered building. In this presentation we’ll be looking at why DC powered buildings are more efficient than AC powered buildings and view a variety of currently affordable DC electrical infrastructure options. We’ll review a case study of the Hotel Marcel which is the first Net Zero and Passive House Hotel in the United States and see how they used DC systems to decrease their building load.
Additionally, this presentation will showcase the future of DC infrastructure in buildings and how it will completely eliminate the AC infrastructure and backbone to decrease power consumption and reduce embodied carbon. This section will focus on two proof of concept deployments, one for hospitality and one for data centres.
At the end of the session, viewers will walk away with a thorough understanding of how DC power can facilitate intelligent, energy efficient buildings that contribute to Net Zero Carbon Emissions as well as understand the real life implementation and cost benefit of deploying DC systems in a way that can increase net profit margins. Farukh will deliver this interesting information on Wednesday at 9:00.
COREY NUSSEY
Best Practices in Undertaking an ICT Infrastructure Program in a Live Hospital
The Queensland Government, under the Infrastructure Maintenance Program, is currently undertaking digital upgrades in fourteen hospitals for a total cost $170M. At present, it’s a two part program but future tranches are expected to reach $425M in value. The first has almost been completed and has taught valuable lessons that are being implemented in the second, which is currently underway and consists of a further eight hospitals (+ two from the first tranche) across Queensland. Re-cabling ten hospitals, without closing any Beds or clinical services, is challenging. The techniques for doing so can be transferred to other digital infrastructure projects.
The particular challenge in this type of project, which involves significant rewiring at each facility, is working around the patients and functioning clinicians. This is necessary because some patients simply can’t be moved. Indeed, they’ve even done this work in a functioning emergency department during a pandemic!
Preparation is key and one of the preliminary techniques was high-resolution 3D scans of existing communication rooms as an aid to planning the work. The resolution of the scans was so good that they were able to zoom in and read the labels on patch panels and network equipment.
Installers and delivery partners communicate each aspect of the work plan with a liaison clinician, usually a nurse, to plot the most effective and least disruptive work path through each part of the facility from operating theatres to wards. “As a project team, we always communicate with clients, but this is well beyond normal practice.” Patients are moved temporarily (24 hours) and all original cabling has to be stripped out and all new cabling installed in that time. No exceptions. Find out much more about working under these stringent conditions during Corey’s presentation at 2:30 on Wednesday.
CARL SOLDER
Smart Buildings and Sustainability
Cisco System’s strategic approach to environmental sustainability is all encompassing including a focus on how we operate our business, how we engage with suppliers and how we help you, our customers, and our communities to reduce their impact on the environment. At the core of this composite strategy is our mission to drive an inclusive and sustainable future for all.
One of the key pillars of our sustainability strategy is to create a technology platform that allows the building of a regenerative future, and technology is the foundation for our sustainability goals. As such, it will be the focus for providing greater insights into this important pillar of our strategy.
As companies set their NetZero and Sustainability targets, technology will play an integral role in their respective journeys. This presentation will provide insights into what Cisco is doing to help its customers drive their NetZero ambitions. We will cover updates on how Cisco is innovating to build more sustainable technologies and solutions, its focus on optimising energy efficiency and GHG emissions across its portfolio, and on enabling more circular economic business models. There will also be an update on examples of how Cisco is driving its own NetZero initiatives in pursuit of its aim to become a NetZero company by 2040. Come and hear Carl Solder provide greater detail about all of this at 11:45 on Thursday.
DARREN McSORELY
Data Centre Hyper Cooling
With the introduction of the TIA 942 standard in 2004 and the subsequent BICSI S002, the baseline for how we cool our data centres was defined. The Hot and Cold aisle principal was synonymous with the change in airflow distribution within our servers and switches from left to right and front to rear. This presentation will look at the journey and how the principals have remained predominantly unchanged for almost two decades while delivery has continued to evolve as a result of Moore’s Law and the constant demand for more power.
With average heat loads today more than 5 times and in some cases 10 times that of when these principals were introduced, are we now at the “end of life” for air cooling in our Data Centres? This presentation will explore the next evolution of Data Centre cooling technologies with particular focus on:
1. Understanding that evolution of Data centre cooling and why the data centre is on the precipice of a major leap forward
2. What are the new generation technologies?
3. How will these new technologies impact our designs and builds?
4. Is there an opportunity for sustainable development being missed?
5. A CxO’s perspective. You might be surprised!
Make sure you attend this important presentation on Wednesday 18th at 11:30 to find out the latest ways to stay cool.
JOHN SIEMON
ESG in the ICT Industry
It is increasingly expected that companies don’t, or at least shouldn’t, operate in a societal or environmental vacuum. The actions, products and services that form the organisation’s activities have broader effects than simply maximised profit. More so than ever before, companies are under pressure to account for those effects. ESG is the means of doing so.
Dealing with the environmental consequences of commercial activities requires more than vague statements of intent. John will examine the concrete, verifiable actions companies must take to develop a valid environmental policy. He will also discuss how to evaluate the ESG policies of suppliers and customers so you can be certain your ecosystem is attuned to your own organisation’s ESG objectives.
The deep-dive presentation will also examine and simplify the language of climate change, which is essential for both identifying and mitigating the problem. The sound commercial case for adopting ESG policy will also be covered along with a selection of valid and invalid environmental claims from well-known companies.
Siemon has been in business for most of the modern industrial era, since 1903, in fact. It is serious about creating products and commercial practices within its entire value chain that will ensure similar, and even greater, longevity going forward. At 11:00 on Thursday come and hear how a 5th generation family business is demonstrating the path to a new and sustainable commercial future through a stewardship mindset directly from a Company Owner, Director and Officer.
PABLO SEPULVEDA
The opportunities are there, we need to take them
“Over many years, sustainability has transitioned from being a nice-to-have to an absolute necessity for addressing the pressing issues of working within planetary constraints and addressing the ongoing climate crisis we face today. The built environment, in particular, bears a significant responsibility accounting for roughly 40% of carbon emissions, 40% of waste generation and 40% of material demand. As engineers, it is imperative that we collaborate and take proactive measures.”
Pablo Sepulveda, quoted above, will explore the ways in which constraints can stimulate innovation, how the convergence of energy and communication is creating a fundamental paradigm shift, and why adopting a systemic approach is essential for designing a more promising future. Instead of viewing sustainability as just another checkbox on a list of requirements, he will share his personal perspective on how it presents a unique opportunity to achieve better outcomes.
With examples covering a High-Speed Train Station in the South of France to an award-winning student accommodation facility in Victoria, Pablo will illustrate how information and communication technology (ICT) played a pivotal role across these projects enabling sustainable architectural and engineering concepts.
Pablo works for Aurecon and is presenting at 9:00 on Thursday. Make sure you don’t miss his take on seizing rising opportunities in building sustainability.
LAHIRU WIMALASURIYA
Pursuing Net Zero in Real Estate
Net Zero is a term we’re all familiar with, but it’s just one aspect of the broader domain of Sustainability, which is aptly described as ‘meeting our needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.
It’s all very well to be concerned about these things but talk is cheap. The question for all of us is – what are we doing about it? Lahiru will describe the approach Turner & Townsend is taking, both internally and with their clients. “We’re working with our clients to help them reduce their operational emissions across the built environment” says Lahiru. This is vital because operational emissions from buildings are responsible for 28% of global energy carbon emissions.
Again, objectives are one thing but achieving them requires actionable strategies utilising a range of technologies and techniques. The presentation will describe:
- The power of data analysis, dashboarding and site energy audits
- Determining current state emissions baseline and energy profiles
- Developing strategic emissions reduction pathways and targets
- Developing strategic business cases from data driven prioritisation
- Energy efficiency options matrix by initiative, cost & energy saving
- Programmatic capital works planning
- Project set up
- Procurement options
- Project delivery
- Program delivery
All of this will be of interest to anyone steering a company through climate issue awareness in the coming years. Lahiru will detail all of this and more at 11:15 on Wednesday.
CRAIG SCROGGIE
The Acceleration of Mega-Trends in the 4th Industrial Revolution
During this keynote, get ready for a journey into the heart of the 4th Industrial Revolution and its swiftly emerging Mega-trends. We’ll dive deep into the key themes fuelling the extraordinary growth of the ever-dynamic data centre industry, blending insights from both local and global perspectives.
Discover how accelerating trends, such as the remarkable ascent of generative AI, are pushing the boundaries of what we once thought possible, achieving unprecedented growth rates that will leave you in awe.
The 4th Industrial Revolution stands as a unique era, marked by the convergence of multiple dynamic forces gaining unstoppable momentum, all set to reshape our technological landscape like never before.
Craig is CEO and Managing Directory of NEXTDC. Make sure you’re there for this extremely interesting and relevant presentation at 2:15 on Wednesday.
GARY GILBERT
Business Development Manager – Wesco Anixter (ANZ)
IoT Infrastructure Considerations for Smart Buildings
Gary has worked in the IT infrastructure industry since 1994, when he received his Austel licence and started implementing copper and fibre solutions in the commercial and health sectors.
He then moved to distribution, where he worked for several years with various infrastructure solution manufacturers, usually with a focus on the healthcare vertical market.
He is now a Business Development Manager for Wesco Anixter covering Australia and New Zealand.
Earning his RCDD in 2001, Gary has worked closely with clients and consultants on a wide variety of large projects, including Fiona Stanley Hospital in Western Australia, Sunshine Hospital in Melbourne, and SAHMRI in South Australia. Gary has recently been focusing on the Distributed Antenna System (DAS) vertical, assisting customers with design process, preliminary designs, and detailed designs that are ready for implementation.
CHRIS MOLLOY
How Data Centres can help accelerate the Renewable Energy Transition
Data centres use a lot of energy. Despite industry-wide efficiency gains, overall energy consumption hasn’t gone down over the last fifteen years. However, that’s actually a success story because while energy consumption has remained approximately steady, data centres have grown from about a million in number to more than five million (in 2020). And that doesn’t consider the increase from one exabyte to fifty exabytes of data processed and stored over the last fifteen years. At 10:45 on Wednesday Chris Molloy will tell us what’s next for the industry.
When enterprise was king and data centres were behind closed doors, energy consumption didn’t receive much publicity. Now that co-location, hyperscale and cloud have come to the fore, data centre energy consumption is on everyone’s radar and targeting improved PUE alone is not enough to achieve the future efficiency gains that will be needed. It’s not just about consuming less power but about consuming power more intelligently.
Data centres can be valuable grid partners and actually support the growth of the renewable energy sector. Don’t miss the opportunity on Wednesday to explore the latest power reduction strategies that Chris will cover.
BROOK DIXON
Smart City Transformation – Net Zero Hero or Hindrance?
In this presentation, Brook will explore how technology can be used to complicate or support efforts to reduce the production of greenhouse gas emissions, and what are the best ways to harness smart tech to be a Net Zero Hero.
Brook is Group CEO and Managing Director of Delos Delta, a leading Australia-based management consulting company specialising in smart cities, emerging technology, innovation, and organisational transformation. The company works globally with cities, governments, councils, developers, universities, companies, and more. It’s committed to building a smarter, more sustainable and more liveable future for our clients and partners.
Brook is an experienced economist, public-sector executive, public speaker, change manager, and policy analyst. Come and hear his perspective on this important topic on Wednesday at 12:00.
KIRAN SOLIPURAM
Networks for the Era of AI, Cloud and Edge transformation
Kiran is a globally recognized Telecommunications professional with 24 years of experience in Strategy, Sales, Account Management, Presales, Business Development, Consulting and Solutions working for Communication Service Providers (CSP)/Operators, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Metro/Rail Operators/OEMs, Energy & Utility providers in APAC, North America, and Europe.
Kiran is presently associated with Ciena Australia, where he is responsible for driving Services sales throughout the ANZ region. His responsibilities include Business Development, Presales, Solutions/Services strategy, establishment of key customer engagement practises, and regional Services sales leadership.
Kiran is an accomplished thought leader who has contributed numerous techno-commercial innovations at public events/forums/journals, including chairing technical panels/sessions that have helped the industry.
RONEEL SINGH
Defining and successfully delivering Integrated Technology Solutions in Healthcare
The presentation will centre on the growing necessity to implement integrated systems on a single converged network in healthcare projects. Currently, there is a lack of a clear directive, an absence of requirements mapping, undefined success criteria, and an absence of established stakeholders. The presentation will also highlight the essentials for establishing a strong foundation to achieve successful outcomes, involving a comprehensive approach that integrates technology, streamlined processes, and collaborative efforts to tackle intricate challenges and enhance patient outcomes. Roneel will explain all of these things on Wednesday at 3:15.
Roneel is a Director at WSP and the Regional Head of the Technology Systems Business in ANZ. He is a Technology Consulting Executive specialising in Smart Connected Technologies and Digital Transformation. He has over 20 years experience in the Technology and Construction Industry with a particular focus on design and advisory services. Roneel is also the current Chair of Bicsi South Pacific, a Fellow of Engineers Australia and a Chartered Professional Engineer.
As part of his leadership role at WSP, Roneel and his team are responsible for the delivery of technology solutions and strategic plans that deliver technology and innovation which is integrated and focuses on the holistic solution with human centric design as a core driver. He works closely with client operational teams and vendors to ensure that integrations are provided between individual systems to ensure functional outcomes.
YUKI NISHIGUCHI
Innovation in Creating a Greener Future for All
In this presentation, Yuki Nishiguchi will explain SENKO’s approach to reducing carbon emissions in data centres. He says that the mindset for doing so is present throughout the entire company and encompasses product design and packaging, freight packaging – really, the whole production ecosystem. He will explain why this total approach to the entire value chain is so important.
Reduced size connectors is one result of this whole-process approach. This, in turn, leads to savings in raw materials, reduced item costs and increased connection density. All of this then leads to reduced size data centres. And having a smaller data centre obviously means reduced energy requirements for things like heating, cooling, air-conditioning, etc.
Not everyone realises just how much power can be saved by reducing the size of a data centre but there have been several studies that confirm the substantial results. Yuki’s presentation at 9:45 on Thursday will provide even more detail on this most important of topics and also on the company’s investment in photonics to achieve even greater energy savings.