Supporting AI-driven transformation requires an unprecedented expansion of digital infrastructure – by 2030, global data centre investment is projected to reach $7 trillion, with electricity demand growing annually by at least 20%. The long-term viability of data centres depends on the capacity of surrounding energy, water and infrastructure systems and the confidence of communities that host them.

This playbook provides a practical decision framework to help developers, operators, enterprise customers, financial institutions and policy-makers make more sustainable and resilient decisions across the data centre development and operations lifecycle. Rather than prescribing a single approach, it provides a common framework that can be adapted to different market contexts and stakeholder roles. The playbook is organized around four practical questions, each answered through a corresponding tool, and proposes an expanded set of metrics for assessing the sustainability and resilience of data centres.

Organizations that embed sustainability and resilience early can make more informed capital decisions, reduce the risk of costly redesign and strengthen stakeholder confidence. They can also preserve the flexibility needed to respond as technologies, resource constraints and the operating environment evolve.