Singapore-based Firmus Technologies Wins Asia Pacific Data Centre Project of the Year Award for AI Factory Facility
The AI Factory facility, part of Firmus’s initiative to transform existing ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) into GPU-powered AI computing platforms, has been recognized as the Asia Pacific Data Centre Project of the Year. The facility stands out for its advanced infrastructure and focus on energy efficiency, reflecting broader efforts to meet the rising demands of AI computing sustainably.
Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
As artificial intelligence continues to need more power, energy efficiency has become a major issue. Firmus has addressed this issue for nearly a decade with its AI Factory platform, which combines advanced immersion cooling technology with dependable design, build, and operation services. The company states that its platform has several significant advantages, including:
- Energy efficiency: 45% more FLOP per utility picoJoule than traditional data centres,
- Cost-effectiveness: Up to 30% cheaper total cost of ownership (TCO) than direct-to-chip cooling platforms,
- Scalability and sustainability: Supports high-density AI workloads while reducing environmental effects,
- Global expertise: A track record in building and operating immersion-cooled data centres in Singapore and Australia.
AI Factory in Singapore
The deployment of the AI Factory in Singapore shows how innovative approaches to data centre infrastructure can address the energy demands of AI. The project highlights a potential pathway for sustainable AI development by achieving a pPUE of 1.02 and a reduction in energy consumption of 45%. This achievement aligns with Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0, which emphasizes sustainable growth in AI and data centre innovation.
Vision and Leadership
Tim Rosenfield, co-CEO of Firmus Technologies, explained the broader vision behind the project, noting that it’s about balancing AI growth with sustainability. "By rethinking data centre design, we have created a platform that supports the growth of AI while promoting environmental sustainability. If we can do it in Singapore, where space is constrained and the humid climate is against us, we can do it anywhere," he said.
Firmus’s Sustainable Metal Cloud (SMC) Initiative
Firmus has been advancing its work through the Sustainable Metal Cloud (SMC), an initiative aimed at improving the efficiency and sustainability of AI infrastructure. Recent updates from Firmus include:
- Power efficiency benchmarks: Firmus became the first to publish comprehensive power consumption data alongside performance results for the MLPerf Training benchmark,
- Policy contributions: Insights from Tim Rosenfield contributed to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change’s policy agenda on managing the energy demands of the AI sector,
- Industry discussions: At ATxSG24, Firmus’s Chairman, Edward Pretty, joined a panel featuring organizations like NVIDIA, the World Bank, and Alibaba Cloud to explore the balance between sustainability and the computational needs of AI,
- Hypercube expansion: Firmus’s team of 700 is installing the first fleet of Sustainable AI Factories, known as HyperCubes, in multiple regions,
- Engagement at NVIDIA GTC 2024: The company participated in two panels at NVIDIA’s GTC event, discussing sustainable AI infrastructure alongside partners like NVIDIA, Deloitte, and WEKA.
Conclusion
The AI Factory in Singapore demonstrates how innovative approaches to data centre infrastructure can address the energy demands of AI while promoting sustainability. Firmus’s commitment to sustainable AI development aligns with the broader goals of the National AI Strategy 2.0, emphasizing the importance of sustainable growth in AI and data centre innovation.
FAQs
- What is the AI Factory?
The AI Factory is a data centre facility that combines advanced immersion cooling technology with dependable design, build, and operation services to support the growth of AI while promoting environmental sustainability. - What are the advantages of the AI Factory?
The AI Factory offers several advantages, including energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, scalability, and global expertise. - What is the Sustainable Metal Cloud (SMC) initiative?
The SMC is an initiative aimed at improving the efficiency and sustainability of AI infrastructure through advanced research, policy contributions, and industry discussions.
