W.Media - Global

Executive Editor

TAP Content Pte Ltd

I work as a technology journalist, contributing to trade, technology, and consumer publications. As a seasoned contributing editor, I have written over 2,000 bylines. In the enterprise space, I currently focus my attention on cloud computing, cybersecurity, data science and AI, and data centres.

Editor-at-large

I founded TAP Content as my day job to write and edit enterprise white papers, marketing collateral, and thought leadership content for top global brands. Working alone or with experts in diverse fields, I have produced a diverse array of content, including product brochures, EDMs, video scripts, infographics, e-Books, blog content, thought leadership articles, and white papers.

Contact me (paul@mah.sg) for more details or samples of my commercial work.

Founder

CDOTrends

Data science and AI are two niche topics that recently exploded into the mainstream. Here, I am responsible for the thrice-a-month Data Science and AI newsletter. I also moderate engaging (I might be slightly biased here) panel discussions and roundtable meetings for enterprise brands such as IBM, Informatica, Microsoft, and others.

Senior Editor

The Straits Times

Writing tech stories for consumers can be hard, especially for a techie like myself. This is how I stay sharp. Feel free to pitch ideas to me at paulmah@sph.com.sg, but please do look at the stories I cover first.

Contributing Writer

South China Morning Post SCMP

I have a soft spot for gadgets and tech gear, as you can probably tell. Am always on the lookout for the best tech tools.

DataCenterDynamics

This is where I write about everything related to data centers and the cloud. Love the opportunities to visit fascinating data centers and gallivant around the world attending tech conferences.

South East Asia Correspondent

Republic Polytechnic

Facilitate classes for modules such as operating systems, data communications and networking two or three times a week in a PBL (Problem-based learning) setting. Wrap up at the end of the day with a short lecture of the key learning points.

Associate Lecturer

TAP Solutions, Singapore

Accidental writer who quit a proper 9-to-5 job to pursue a "gig" lifestyle writing full-time. Had the privilege of contributing to some of the leading tech publications around the world and crafting content for multiple growing tech brands.

Notable past publications:
- Editor for CMO Innovation, Questex Asia (HK) - 5 years
- Practically Tech Blogger for ZDNet (SG) - 1 year
- Editor for FierceCIO, FierceMarkets (US) - 8 years
- Contributing Writer for CIO Magazine (US) - 6 years
- Contributing Writer for PC World (US) - 1 year
- SMB Blogger for IT Business Edge (US) - 5 years
- Contributor for Ars Technica (US) - 3 years
- Network Administrator Blogger for TechRepublic (US) - 4 years

Freelance Writer

Overseas Courier Service (Singapore) Pte Ltd

In charge of the IT department and its operations in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. Lead a team to execute multiple concurrent IT projects to maintain and improve server hardware, pager/SMS infrastructure, client-server systems, and back-end software.

Head of IT

Razer

Management of Razer-branded computer peripheral as well as working with worldwide distributors to ensure that logistical and time requirements are met.

Product Manager

Technology had always fascinated me, and I loved getting computers to do things.

So no, I never planned to be a writer.

💾 𝗔 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀

As a youth, I had a blast learning to code and writing apps. When others went partying, I pored over IT magazines and compared the specifications of enterprise systems.

Technology works through rigid interfaces and often immutable rules. I enjoyed breaking preconceptions of what's possible and stitching new capabilities together in unanticipated ways.

I began my career as an IT professional.

- Wrote some code.
- Set up server rooms.
- Dabbled in networking.

The only writing I've done at this point is emails. And some code.

📝 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗲

I collected my last monthly pay cheque in 2009, joining the gig economy before the term was coined.

It started with an attempt to earn some extra income writing some blogs. Then it became a full-time job.

Through fortuitous timing, I had the privilege of being paid to hone my craft writing for top global IT publications.

- PC World.
- TechRepublic.
- Computerworld.
... and many others.

Over 15 years, I've also written for local and regional broadsheets, trade media outlets, and consumer tech publications. I continue writing editorially to this day.

💰 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴?

Glad you asked. Besides my editorial work - Muck Rack shows over 2,000 bylines, I help corporate clients with their content.

Here's what I've done:

🔸𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲: Content for top brands in the enterprise IT, cybersecurity, cloud, data centre, DBMS, and data science space.

🔸𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁: CIO statements for annual reports, research reports of over 80 pages, and custom ABM briefs.

🔸𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁: Edit or rewrite content for government agencies, banks, and enterprise tech firms.

🔸𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆: Produce strategic content and put together content strategies for niche industries.

🔸𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀: Plan, record podcasts, host private roundtables discussions, and moderate panels.

☀️ 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀

The world is changing quicker than ever, and it's crucial to understand the implications of these advancements.

As part of my own exploration, I seek to write about new tech developments to:

- Add context and depth to bland reports.
- Concisely flesh out pertinent details.
- Highlight what is not being said.
- Explain what it means to you.

I get to the tech that matters and make complex concepts accessible.

👉 Follow me to see more of my posts.
✅ Or check out my blog and sign up for my newsletter.

Paul Mah

Frothing water. Gurgling tanks. I visited Bridge Data Centres' state-of-the-art plant in Johor today and learned how it produces water for data centres.

Bridge Data Centres is the first in Malaysia to use treated wastewater for its sprawling 200MW MY-07 data centre campus. I realised today that there are multiple steps.

𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀?

- Join over 900 on my WhatsApp channel.
- Nobody can see your number.

👉 www.techstories.co/wa

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿

As demand for data centres exploded in Johor, so did the demand for water to cool power-hungry servers. But water is precious. How do we manage this precious resource in a sustainable manner?

That's where water reclamation comes in. Instead of discharging the non-potable treated effluent from sewage treatment plants (STP), why not further process it into high-grade water for data centres?

And that was how the Bridge Data Centres Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) at Ulu Tiram came about.

𝟭/ 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

Effluent from nearby STPs is piped into the WRP for processing. Initial key steps:

- Anoxic tank: Removes nitrogen from water.
- Oxidation tank: Bacteria break down organic matter.

Together, they remove nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic pollutants to achieve high pollutant removal standards.

𝟮/ 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 (𝗠𝗕𝗥)

Next, the MBR uses membranes to remove suspended solids, bacteria, and even some pathogens to produce high-quality effluent.

In photo 3, you can see the MBR in operation. Water is suctioned through the membranes, which retain pollutants (photo 4).

𝟯/ 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗢𝘀𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀 (𝗥𝗢)

Finally, RO uses high pressure to force water through an extremely fine membrane to remove dissolved and microscopic contaminants.

These are spiral-wound membranes packed tightly inside a long tube. As I wrote previously, the ones in Bridge Data Centres WRP are made by Suntar International Group, a Singapore-headquartered firm.

Also, Bridge Data Centre's WRP uses 3 passes; Singapore's NEWater is produced from 2 passes of RO, though the latter is paired with other processes.

𝟰/ 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲?

Today, I also learned that there are processes to clean both MBR and RO membranes to extend their lifespans, which I understand to be measured in years.

And as shared by Lye Yit Tho on a panel discussion at DCW Asia, if incoming treated wastewater quality is good, the team may elect to skip the RO pass.

There are some other steps I didn't go into due to space. Suffice to say, the WRP produces high-grade water that goes into storage tanks for data centre use.

Do you see this as the future of data centres - with a focus on sustainability with water treatment done in-house? What do you think?

🌐 go.techstories.co/FnDg

Photos:
1. RO.
2. Oxidation tank.
3. MBR in operation.
4. MBR before deployment.
5. Incoming water to MBR.
6. Anoxic tank underneath.
7-8. RO.
9. Treated wastewater from IWK.

Helping global tech firms with their content and strategy

Singapore Energy Centre

Co-Director

National University of Singapore

Dean's Chair, College of Design and Engineering

Member of University Sustainability and Climate Action Council (USCAC)

Director, Centre for Energy Research & Technology (CERT)

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Lab Supervisor, Energy and Bio-Thermal Systems Group

Deputy Director, Centre for Energy Research & Technology (CERT)

Assistant Dean (Research & Technology)

My research interests include micro-fluidics, microscale heat transfer, advanced thermal management techniques especially novel techniques to enhance heat transfer and mitigate hotspots, hybrid photovoltaic-thermal systems, internal combustion engines fueled by biofuels and fuel blends.

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Energy Studies Institute (ESI)

Executive Director

Deputy Executive Director

CoolestDC

We are a thermal, power and performance management company offering innovative & sustainable cooling solutions to the data center industry. By working closely with our customers, we deliver the best in class efficiency, total power consumption savings and performance enhancement solutions so as to make the data center industry more sustainable.

CoolestSG - Cooling Energy Science and Technology Singapore

Programme Director

GCoreLab

Co-Founder, Chairman & CTO

The Institution of Engineers, Singapore

Council Member and Chairman, Mechanical Engineering Technical Committee

Xi'an Jiaotong University

Appointed Adjunct Professor with the School of Human Settlement and Civil Engineering at the Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU)

Adjunct Professor

Purdue University

Graduate Research Assistant (School of Mechanical Engineering)

Taught thermal sciences tutorials and lab classes.

Senior Tutor

Poh Seng (PS) Lee is an associate professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS), holding the Dean's Chair at the College of Design and Engineering. With a focus on enhanced heat transfer, microchannels, liquid cooling, thermal management, and electronics cooling, Dr. Lee has made significant contributions to mechanical engineering.

Dr. Lee's most cited works include groundbreaking research in microchannel heat transfer enhancement and its applications in thermal systems like data center cooling, electric vehicle battery thermal management, and power electronics cooling. His research has led to over 160 peer-reviewed publications, 3 monographs, and 9,570 citations as of November 11, 2023, with an H-index of 47.

Currently, Dr. Lee serves as the Executive Director of the Energy Studies Institute (ESI), Co-Director of Singapore Energy Centre (SgEC), and Director of Centre for Energy Research & Technology (CERT) at NUS. He is also a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Energy Institute (EI), and Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES), and a member of the University Sustainability and Climate Action Council (USCAC).

In addition to his academic achievements, Dr. Lee is the founder of CoolestDC, a start-up company dedicated to developing high-efficiency cooling solutions for data centers. His entrepreneurial spirit is further demonstrated as the Co-Founder, Chairman & CTO of GCoreLab, and Programme Director of CoolestSG - Cooling Energy Science and Technology Singapore.

Dr. Lee's awards include being named among the Top 2% Most-Cited Scientists by Stanford University consecutively from 2021 to 2023, elected Fellow of ASME and EI in 2021, and Fellow of IES in 2018. He has also received the NUS Faculty of Engineering's Young Faculty Research Award and the Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES) Prestigious Engineering Achievement Award, among others.

His educational background includes a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and MEng and BEng degrees from the National University of Singapore. Dr. Lee has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Xi'an Jiaotong University.

As an associate editor of IEEE CPMT and ASME Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer and an editorial board member of Advances in Applied Energy, Dr. Lee's influence extends to the broader academic community. His commitment to sustainability, innovation, and excellence in engineering continues to shape the future of thermal management and energy efficiency.

PS Lee

Feeling honoured and grateful to be nominated for the Senior Academic Leadership Programme (SALP)!

This opportunity means a great deal to me, as it represents a commitment to continuous growth and leadership in academia. Through SALP, I hope to:
✅ Deepen my understanding of strategic leadership in higher education
✅ Learn best practices for fostering innovation and collaboration
✅ Build meaningful connections with fellow academic leaders

Looking forward to gaining insights that will help shape impactful initiatives for our academic community and beyond.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey!

#Leadership #HigherEducation #AcademicExcellence #ContinuousLearning #SALP

Head of NUS Mechanical Engineering & Executive Director of ESI | Expert in Sustainable AI Data Center Cooling | Keynote Speaker and Board Member

DC-CFA2: Singapore’s Next Big Test For AI-Ready, Green Data Centres

With DC-CFA2 now launched, Singapore has effectively moved from “Should we grow data centre capacity?” to “What kind of AI-era capacity are we prepared to allow?” At least 200 MW will be allocated in this round, more than double the 80 MW under the pilot, with the possibility of more if operators can unlock credible green energy pathways.

What stands out is how clearly this exercise encodes a quality-over-quantity philosophy. New capacity must strengthen Singapore’s role as a trusted hub for AI and digital infrastructure, not just add megawatts. Proposals will be assessed on strategic value, broader economic contributions (R&D, product innovation, talent development, ecosystem partnerships) and, crucially, on sustainability.

On the technical side, the bar is high and intentional:
PUE ≤ 1.25 at 100% IT load in a humid tropical climate
BCA–IMDA Green Mark for DCs 2024 Platinum
Best-in-class IT energy efficiency aligned with SS 715:2025
≥ 50% power from eligible green energy pathways (biomethane, low-carbon H₂/NH₃, fuel cells with CCS, BIPV/BAPV)

In practice, this pushes designs towards liquid-first, water-lean, AI-ready architectures: warm-water direct-to-chip (and, where needed, immersion or refrigerant-based solutions), higher allowable IT inlet temperatures, and far tighter water management. “More efficient air” alone will not cut it for 50–100+ kW AI racks in the tropics.

Because every MW in Singapore is scarce and strategically “expensive”, DC-CFA2 also expects spillovers: serious R&D and test-bedding, co-developed solutions with energy and water utilities, and structured talent pipelines for AI infrastructure engineers, cooling and power specialists, and operations technicians. Co-innovation platforms such as the Sustainable Tropical Data Centre Testbed Phase 2 (STDCT 2.0) https://lnkd.in/g2RwKiH8 are well-positioned to partner DC-CFA2 proponents in de-risking advanced liquid cooling, grid-interactive operations and water-lean designs before full-scale deployment.

Regionally, this fits a portfolio view. While Singapore will no longer be the largest data centre market by volume, it can be the AI control plane and interconnection hub – hosting the most trusted, dense, efficient and low-carbon capacity, while neighbouring locations provide larger-footprint scale-out sites.

Done well, DC-CFA2 can become a global reference for designing AI-era data centres under hard land, power, water and carbon constraints. It is more than a 200 MW allocation; it is a test of whether we can turn those constraints into a durable competitive advantage – and into an exportable model for other hot, water-stressed cities.

#Singapore #DCCFA2 #DataCentres #AIInfrastructure #GreenDataCentres #LiquidCooling #STDCT #STDCT2 #EnergyEfficiency #PUE #WUE #LowCarbonEnergy #DigitalEconomy #Sustainability #AIEra #InfrastructureDesign #Innovation

Re-Defining Resilient Data Centers in Arid Regions

I’m very pleased to be joining colleagues in Doha this December for the international workshop “Re-Defining Resilient Data Centers in Arid Regions”, led by Dr Abdlmonem H. Beitelmal and co-PIs Dr Mohamed Elhindi, Dr Sertac Bayhan, Dr Ala Al-Fuqaha, and Dr Othmane Bouhali, and hosted by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) / Qatar Environment & Energy Research Institute - QEERI under the Horizon Hub Workshop Series.

Over two days, 10–15 global experts will work closely with 40+ local researchers and stakeholders to tackle a central question for hot, water-stressed regions:

How do we design AI-era data centers that are not only high-density and secure, but genuinely sustainable and resilient in arid climates? 

The workshop will deep-dive into three tightly coupled themes:

• Next-generation physical infrastructure & architectures for hyperscale, AI and edge data centers in harsh environments

• Sustainability and energy efficiency via smarter workload scheduling, predictive cooling and advanced thermal management

• Performance under new constraints such as data sovereignty, privacy and cybersecurity in an increasingly fragmented digital landscape 

I will be delivering a keynote on “Liquid-First, Water-Lean: Designing Resilient AI Data Centers for Arid Regions,” sharing work on:

• Using warm-water direct-to-chip liquid cooling as the default for high-density AI racks

• Designing around PUE, WUE, PWUE and TTWUE as integrated metrics, not afterthoughts

• A “dry first, wet when you must” heat-rejection playbook, leveraging non-potable water, thermal energy storage and heat reuse

• Longer-term frontiers such as on-chip microfluidic cooling, federated multi-site thermal control, and subsurface thermal storage / geo-integration for arid regions 

What excites me most is that this is not just another conference: the explicit goal is to leave with implementable recommendations, a sustained expert network, and a pipeline of strategic R&D projects focused on AI data centers in harsh climates. 

If you work at the intersection of data centers, AI, energy systems, or desert urbanism, this is a conversation that will matter for decades.

#AI #DataCenters #Sustainability #AridRegions #LiquidCooling #ThermalManagement #EnergyEfficiency #Qatar #HBKU #QEERI

https://lnkd.in/gM5mT5-3

Why Data Center Operators Should Join STDCT 2.0

If you are planning to run 80–300 kW/rack AI workloads in Asia, a hard question is coming your way:

Where do you safely test, de-risk and benchmark your next-generation design before you commit hundreds of millions to a full build-out?

That is exactly why we are setting up STDCT 2.0 on Jurong Island as a shared, pre-competitive co-innovation testbed – and why data center operators should be in the tent from Day 1.

Instead of each operator building a private “science project” in a corner of their campus, STDCT 2.0 will provide a neutral, heavily instrumented AI-class DC block in the middle of Singapore’s low-carbon energy and industrial cluster:

Tropical, high-density reality
Test liquid-first and immersion cooling, warm-water loops, TES and seawater / hybrid rejection at realistic AI rack densities (80–150 kW today, 300–600 kW tomorrow) under actual Singapore climate, not temperate extrapolations.

Real multi-energy portfolios
See how hydrogen-ready CCGTs, ammonia-to-power, biomethane, vertical PV and low-carbon imports really behave when combined with BESS/TES, strict MRV and emerging 24/7 CFE expectations.

One shared “wind tunnel” for DC-CFA2 and beyond
Use the same testbed that regulators and technology partners rely on to shape future PUE/WUE curves, green-pathway rules and density envelopes for Jurong Island and the wider region.

Crucially, STDCT 2.0 is pre-competitive:
The shared layer: methods, reference architectures, test protocols, anonymised performance envelopes, digital-twin models.

The competitive layer: still yours – detailed designs, optimisation logic, commercial strategy, customer relationships.

Why should operators join?

De-risk your next build
Validate AI pods, energy portfolios and operating strategies in a neutral environment before you lock them into a 20-year asset.

Influence the rules of the game
Sit with agencies, OEMs and utilities while we define what “best-in-class” means for AI-era PUE, WUE, 24/7 CFE and Eligible Green Pathways in Singapore.

Accelerate your learning curve
Access high-resolution operational data, tropical-calibrated digital twins and side-by-side comparisons that you will never get from marketing case studies.

Build talent and ecosystem
Help develop the engineers, operators and planners who can actually run liquid-cooled, multi-fuel, AI-dense campuses safely and efficiently.

If we get this right, Jurong Island becomes more than a DC park. It becomes the design and validation hub for sustainable AI infrastructure in the region, with STDCT 2.0 as its shared “engine room”.

For data center operators, the choice is simple:
Build your next AI campus alone – or help shape, and benefit from, a platform designed to de-risk exactly the challenges you will face.

Choose the right path.

#datacenters #AI #sustainability #JurongIsland #Singapore #liquidcooling #energytransition #hydrogen #ammonia #digitalinfrastructure

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Launch of second data centre – Call for application

Summary: Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) have launched the second Data Centre – Call for Application (DC-CFA2), making available at least 200 MW of new data centre capacity in Singapore, with the potential for more via innovative green energy pathways. The initiative aims to facilitate sustainable DC growth while cementing Singapore’s position as a trusted hub for AI and digital infrastructure.

Applications will be assessed holistically across three pillars:

Strategic: strengthening Singapore’s role as a trusted hub for AI and technology innovation, enhancing digital connectivity and infrastructure resilience.

Economic: delivering strong fixed asset investments and business expenditure, alongside R&D, product innovation, talent development and ecosystem partnerships that uplift the broader digital economy and competitiveness of industries based in Singapore.

Sustainability: achieving best-in-class resource efficiency, including mandatory BCA-IMDA Green Mark for DCs 2024 Platinum certification, facility PUE ≤ 1.25 at 100% IT load, optimised IT energy efficiency in line with SS 715:2025, and at least 50% of power from eligible green energy pathways such as biomethane, low-carbon ammonia or hydrogen, advanced fuel cells with CCS, or building-integrated/attached PV.

DC-CFA remains the primary route for DC capacity allocation, while the Strategic Digital Infrastructure Scheme (SDIS) continues to support uniquely transformative, high-impact digital infrastructure proposals.

My commentary
DC-CFA2: Singapore’s Next Big Test For AI-Ready, Green Data Centres: https://lnkd.in/gCHB85Bw

#Singapore #DataCentres #DCCFA2 #AIEra #DigitalInfrastructure #Sustainability #GreenDataCentres #EnergyEfficiency #PUE #GreenMark #LowCarbonEnergy #Innovation #TalentDevelopment #EcosystemBuilding

Open article: Launch of second data centre – Call for application - Infocomm Media Development Authority by imda.gov.sg

Launch of second data centre – Call for application - Infocomm Media Development Authority

EDB, IMDA launch second exercise to expand data-centre capacity
At least 200 MW of capacity will be made available from this initiative

Summary: EDB and IMDA have launched the second Data Centre – Call for Application (DC-CFA2), Singapore’s main mechanism for allocating new data-centre capacity. At least 200 MW of capacity will be released under this round, up from 80 MW awarded in the 2023 pilot, with potential for more if applicants deploy innovative green-energy pathways. DC-CFA2 is positioned to support Singapore’s push to remain a trusted regional hub for AI and data-centre investments, while enhancing infrastructure resilience and international connectivity.

Applicants will be evaluated holistically on their strategic value to Singapore’s digital economy, broader economic contributions, and commitments to sustainability. Beyond fixed asset investment and operating expenditure, proposals are expected to outline R&D, product innovation and talent-development activities that strengthen the wider digital ecosystem and competitiveness of local industries.

Sustainability is a core filter: new facilities must be “best in class” in facility-level and IT-level energy efficiency, be powered by at least 50% eligible green energy (e.g. biomethane, low-carbon ammonia or hydrogen, fuel cells with CCS, building-integrated PV), and obtain BCA-IMDA Green Mark for Data Centres 2024 Platinum certification.

My commentary
DC-CFA2: Singapore’s Next Big Test For AI-Ready, Green Data Centres: https://lnkd.in/gCHB85B

 #Singapore #DataCentres #AIDigitalEconomy #DCCFA2 #GreenDataCentres #Sustainability #EnergyTransition #DigitalInfrastructure #Innovation #TalentDevelopment #PUE #GreenMark #LowCarbonPower

Open article: EDB, IMDA launch second exercise to expand data-centre capacity by bt.sg

EDB, IMDA launch second exercise to expand data-centre capacity

EDB, IMDA launch second exercise to expand data-centre capacity

Summary: Singapore has launched the second Data Centre – Call for Application (DC-CFA2), the primary mechanism for allocating new data-centre capacity. EDB and IMDA will make available at least 200 MW of additional capacity, up from 80 MW in the 2023 pilot, with the possibility of more through innovative green energy pathways. The goal is to reinforce Singapore’s position as a trusted hub for AI and data-centre investments while strengthening digital infrastructure resilience and international connectivity.

Applications will be assessed holistically on three fronts: strategic value to Singapore’s digital economy, broader economic contributions, and clear commitments to sustainability. Beyond fixed asset investments and business expenditure, applicants are expected to propose ecosystem activities such as R&D, product innovation and talent development that uplift local industries. On the sustainability front, applicants must design “best-in-class” facilities that maximise green energy use (at least 50% from eligible low-carbon pathways such as biomethane, low-carbon ammonia/hydrogen, advanced fuel cells with CCS, or building-integrated PV) and obtain BCA-IMDA Green Mark for Data Centres 2024 Platinum certification, with stringent expectations on both facility-level and IT energy efficiency.

My commentary
DC-CFA2: Singapore’s Next Big Test For AI-Ready, Green Data Centres: https://lnkd.in/gCHB85B

#Singapore #DataCentres #DCCFA2 #AIInfrastructure #DigitalEconomy #TrustedHub #Sustainability #GreenDataCentres #EnergyEfficiency #PUE #GreenMark #LowCarbonEnergy #Innovation #TalentDevelopment #EcosystemBuilding

Open article: EDB, IMDA launch second data centre capacity drive by straitstimes.com

Applications will be assessed holistically based on their strategic value to Singapore’s digital economy, broader economic contributions, and commitment to sustainability, says IMDA.

EDB, IMDA launch second data centre capacity drive

Today at the Senior Academic Leadership Programme, we watched 12 Angry Men and spent time observing what leadership without formal power really looks like in practice.

The 1957 Sidney Lumet classic centres on twelve jurors asked to decide the fate of a young defendant in what initially appears to be an “open-and-shut” case. One juror (Juror #8, played by Henry Fonda) quietly resists the rush to judgment, not because he is sure of the boy’s innocence, but because he is not yet convinced of his guilt. 

What struck me today was how much of the leadership in that jury room came from behavior, not from title:

He leads with questions, not answers. Rather than lecturing, he keeps asking: “Is it possible…?”, “Could we be wrong about…?” This slows the tempo just enough for thinking to catch up with emotion.

He creates space for doubt. By simply insisting on reasonable doubt, he reframes the group’s task from “confirm guilt quickly” to “test our assumptions rigorously.” That small shift in purpose changes everything. 

He treats others with respect, even when they are unreasonable. In the face of anger, prejudice and frustration, he stays calm. His composure becomes contagious; over time, the temperature of the room drops, while the quality of the conversation rises.

He separates people from the problem. The film makes visible how personal histories, biases and unexamined pain shape “rational” arguments. Good leadership does not humiliate those biases out of the room; it surfaces and gently disarms them. 

For senior academic leaders, the parallels are uncomfortable and useful:

Many of our most consequential decisions (on people, programmes, resources and strategy) are made in rooms of “peers,” where positional authority is limited and informal dynamics are strong.

The pressure to “move on” can be intense, especially when time is short and the agenda is long.

Dissenting or slowing things down can feel costly, particularly in hierarchical cultures or when voices are already “tired” by change.

12 Angry Men is a reminder that our influence in those moments does not come from our role description, but from our willingness to:

Ask the question no one wants to ask.

Hold the space for one more round of honest scrutiny.

Protect the minority voice long enough for the merits of the argument to be seen. 

Leadership without power is not about being obstructive. It is about being quietly, stubbornly committed to process integrity, especially when the room is impatient. That is often when our contribution matters most.

#Leadership #AcademicLeadership #HigherEducation #DecisionMaking #TwelveAngryMen #InclusiveLeadership #GroupDynamics #LearningFromFilm

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Paul Mah

PS Lee

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Performance ScorePaul Mah's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScorePS Lee's LinkedIn Performance

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Paul Mah

PS Lee

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Paul Mah's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScorePS Lee's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScorePaul Mah's LinkedIn Performance