Beyond the Megawatt: Data Center Design, Technology Challenges, and Infrastructure Innovation

Can Data Centers Ever Be Sustainable? These Women Say Yes!


Listen Later

What happens when you put three sustainability leaders in one room and ask them to call BS on industry practices? You get the most honest conversation about data center sustainability we've had yet.


Karen Cooper (DLR Group), Jenna Middaugh (Green Building Initiative), and Patricia Leyva (Equinix) didn't hold back. From fear-based pricing to parallel study failures, this episode tackles why sustainability initiatives keep getting blamed for project problems—and what to do about it.


Key Insights From This Episode:

Sustainability should be code-required, not optional — No one argues about fire safety compliance because lives depend on it. Planetary resources deserve the same treatment.


The "green premium" is often a fear premium — Unfamiliar methods get risk contingencies baked into bids. In markets where sustainable construction is normal, it's competitively priced.


We're tracking the wrong data — Most projects blame sustainability for delays without running parallel estimates of what traditional methods would have cost under identical conditions.


Culture beats checklists — Sustainable practices succeed when teams embrace efficiency optimization, not when they're forced to check environmental boxes.


Small steps create big momentum — Perfect sustainability isn't the goal. Continuous improvement builds institutional knowledge and confidence across projects.


Community pressure is making sustainability essential — Local governments are asking tough questions about water usage and energy consumption before approving new developments.


The economics argument wins — When positioned as operational efficiency and resource optimization rather than environmental activism, sustainability finds broader support.


This conversation cuts through the corporate speak to address real challenges facing data center professionals who want to build better but need practical strategies that actually work.


Connect With Our Guests:

Karen Cooper - Architect, DLR Group

https://www.linkedin.com/in/krcoopdesigns/ 


Jenna Middaugh - COO, Green Building Initiative

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-middaugh-8a060137/ 

GBI's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-building-initiative/ 


Patricia Leyva - Sustainability Expert, Equinix

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paleyva


Apply to be a Guest or Sponsor and follow along:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beyondthemegawatt.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-the-megawatt-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


Connect with Mara:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.marajadeconsulting.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/datacenterchic/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


Connect with Val:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-crafton-mba-0362b816/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://valconsultants.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Beyond the Megawatt: Data Center Design, Technology Challenges, and Infrastructure InnovationBy Mara Ervin & Val Crafton

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

2 ratings


More shows like Beyond the Megawatt: Data Center Design, Technology Challenges, and Infrastructure Innovation

View all
Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

32,299 Listeners

Inside Data Centre Podcast by Andy Davis

Inside Data Centre Podcast

7 Listeners

Confessions of a Bra Lady, with Missy Helderman by Missy Helderman

Confessions of a Bra Lady, with Missy Helderman

12 Listeners

Motherhood Anthology: Photography Education for a Business You Love by Kim Box from the Motherhood Anthology

Motherhood Anthology: Photography Education for a Business You Love

50 Listeners

The Passionate Stewardship with Dr. Cherie: A Radical Self-Care Podcast for Helping Professionals by Dr. Cherie

The Passionate Stewardship with Dr. Cherie: A Radical Self-Care Podcast for Helping Professionals

2 Listeners

Big Brave Business:  Revolutionary Leadership and Entrepreneurship for Millennials with Sarah Heeter by Sarah Heeter

Big Brave Business: Revolutionary Leadership and Entrepreneurship for Millennials with Sarah Heeter

65 Listeners

A Simple Therapy Podcast: Honest Conversations on Therapy, Mental Health, Healing and Self-Growth by Sindee Gozansky, LCPC

A Simple Therapy Podcast: Honest Conversations on Therapy, Mental Health, Healing and Self-Growth

20 Listeners

Anxious Adventurer with Katy Schlegel | A podcast about connection and exploration on the journey of life by Katy Schlegel

Anxious Adventurer with Katy Schlegel | A podcast about connection and exploration on the journey of life

8 Listeners

Vibrantly Grey with Kathy Werking: A Podcast for Women Over 50 and Thriving by Kathy Werking

Vibrantly Grey with Kathy Werking: A Podcast for Women Over 50 and Thriving

5 Listeners

Here's Hope: Finding Hope in the Chaos with Kasey Hope by Kasey Hope

Here's Hope: Finding Hope in the Chaos with Kasey Hope

115 Listeners

Your Breakthrough Blueprint with Becky Aste | for the highly ambitious, high-performing wife who is ready to repair connection in her marriage and harmony in her body and life by Becky Aste

Your Breakthrough Blueprint with Becky Aste | for the highly ambitious, high-performing wife who is ready to repair connection in her marriage and harmony in her body and life

36 Listeners

Healing After Baby Loss with Doreen Korba from StillMama.org by Doreen Korba of StillMama.org

Healing After Baby Loss with Doreen Korba from StillMama.org

40 Listeners

Forest Educator with Ricardo Sierra | A Podcast for Revolutionary Conversations about Nature-Based Education by Ricardo Sierra

Forest Educator with Ricardo Sierra | A Podcast for Revolutionary Conversations about Nature-Based Education

23 Listeners

The Data Center Frontier Show by Endeavor Business Media

The Data Center Frontier Show

11 Listeners

Build Your Bakery Podcast with Jonica Thompson | Turn Your Baking Skills into a Profitable Business! by Jonica Thompson

Build Your Bakery Podcast with Jonica Thompson | Turn Your Baking Skills into a Profitable Business!

13 Listeners

Ditch the Ick with Katie Carson: Redefining Relationships, Self-Worth, and Building Your Dream Life as Millennial and Gen X Women by Katie Carson

Ditch the Ick with Katie Carson: Redefining Relationships, Self-Worth, and Building Your Dream Life as Millennial and Gen X Women

12 Listeners

Pet Shop Girls with Sherry (Odyssey Pets) and Carly (House of Paws) - A Podcast for Independent Pet Pros by The Pet Shop Girls

Pet Shop Girls with Sherry (Odyssey Pets) and Carly (House of Paws) - A Podcast for Independent Pet Pros

8 Listeners

Somming in the Desert: Appreciating Arizona's Food and Wine Culture with Casey Thorne by Casey Thorne

Somming in the Desert: Appreciating Arizona's Food and Wine Culture with Casey Thorne

0 Listeners

Motherhood Journeys: {MOM}ents with Madly Wish by Whitney Surane by Whitney Surane

Motherhood Journeys: {MOM}ents with Madly Wish by Whitney Surane

10 Listeners

Tip the Dish: Dishing Tips on Natural Pet Care and Nutrition from Retail.Pet, Hosted by The Pet Shop Girls Carly Patryluk of House of Paws and Sherry Redwine of Odyssey Pets by The Pet Shop Girls: Sherry Redwine of Odyssey Pets and Carly Patryluk of House of Paws

Tip the Dish: Dishing Tips on Natural Pet Care and Nutrition from Retail.Pet, Hosted by The Pet Shop Girls Carly Patryluk of House of Paws and Sherry Redwine of Odyssey Pets

12 Listeners

Midwife Life: Educating Women on All Things Pregnancy, Birth, Postpartum Care, and Careers in Healthcare with Diane Ortega by Diane Ortega of Willow Birth Center

Midwife Life: Educating Women on All Things Pregnancy, Birth, Postpartum Care, and Careers in Healthcare with Diane Ortega

7 Listeners

AI Queens: Elevate Your Business with Technology with Erika Stanley, Branding and AI Strategist by Erika Stanley, Branding and AI Strategist

AI Queens: Elevate Your Business with Technology with Erika Stanley, Branding and AI Strategist

12 Listeners