‘We believe data centres should not be located near residential areas due to their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, noise pollution, urban heat island effect and (excessive) water consumption.’
PETALING JAYA: Eight civil society organisations have called for a ban on the construction of data centres near residential areas, citing concerns over greenhouse gas emissions, high energy and water consumption, noise pollution and urban “heat island” effects.
In a joint statement yesterday, the groups said rapid expansion of the industry could affect environmental sustainability, public health and community wellbeing.
“We believe data centres should not be located near residential areas due to their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, noise pollution, urban heat island effect and (excessive) water consumption.”
The call comes as Malaysia’s data centre capacity is expected to double by the end of 2026, with more planned thereafter.
This would place the country among the top three data centre markets in the Asia-Pacific region, behind Tokyo and Beijing.
By 2035, data centres are projected to account for one-third of Malaysia’s total energy consumption, using an estimated 73,274GWh (gigawatt per hour) annually.
The groups cited recent disputes involving proposed data centre projects in Kota Damansara and Petaling Jaya, as well as Gelang Patah in Johor, where residents had raised concerns over environmental impacts and limited public consultation.
They added that Malaysia’s electricity grid remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which accounted for 81% of the country’s energy sources in 2022.
The groups said increased demand from data centres could further drive reliance on fossil fuel-based power generation.
“Data centres require a tremendous amount of energy to operate. Even a small-scale 10MW data centre requires an estimated 43,800MWh annually, equivalent to the average consumption of 67,500 households.”
Concerns were also raised over water consumption, particularly for cooling systems.
“The average 100MW data centre can use up to 4.2 million litres of water daily, while an additional 3,500MW of capacity could increase water consumption to 147 million litres a day, equivalent to the domestic water use of 610,000 Malaysians.”
Noise pollution was another concern, with cooling systems, fans and generators operating continuously.
“These noises can range from 55 to 85 decibels and may reach 96 decibels. The health risks arise from their constant presence, rather than merely the volume.”
The groups also highlighted research suggesting that waste heat generated by data centres could contribute to rising temperatures in surrounding areas.
They called on the Malaysian Investment Development Authority and the Data Centre Task Force to establish stricter rules governing data centre locations, including amendments to existing planning guidelines.
They also urged the Environment Department to require data centres to undergo Environmental Impact Assessments and called on local councils to impose a moratorium on new approvals until stronger regulations were introduced.
The statement was endorsed by RimbaWatch, BDS Malaysia, the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism, Persatuan Kesaksamaan Demi Kedamaian Rakyat Sejagat, Greenpeace Malaysia, Sustainable Development Network Malaysia, Environmental Protection Society Malaysia and Klima Action Malaysia.
