The Data Center market in Italy is experiencing a period of strong expansion, driven by the growing adoption of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, industrial digitalization and digital services. Thanks to its strategic position in the Mediterranean, the quality of its connectivity infrastructure and the increasing interest of international investors, the country is establishing itself as one of Europe's leading digital hubs.
Alongside these opportunities, however, increasingly complex challenges are emerging. Power availability, grid capacity, permitting timelines and the need to develop new technology hubs outside the traditionally most attractive areas require careful planning and close collaboration among operators, institutions and industry stakeholders.
In this context, energy efficiency has become a strategic priority. The rise in compute density, accelerated by the adoption of Artificial Intelligence, is increasing the energy demand of Data Centers and imposing new design standards. Today, ensuring operational continuity and reliability is no longer enough: it is essential to optimize energy consumption, improve PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) and reduce the environmental impact of infrastructures.
To explore these topics in greater depth and share the latest innovations in mission-critical cooling, Daikin organized a seminar dedicated to the Data Center sector at its Ariccia facility. The event brought together engineers, consultants and industry professionals, providing an important opportunity to discuss the challenges that are reshaping the future of digital infrastructures: from energy efficiency and sustainability to operational reliability, the new requirements introduced by Artificial Intelligence, and the evolution of the Italian regulatory framework.
In this context, Daikin positions itself as a trusted technology partner for the development of more efficient, sustainable and resilient Data Centers, capable of supporting the growing demand for digital services and successfully addressing the challenges of the digital economy.
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The rapid growth of the sector is putting pressure on the entire value chain. In addition to infrastructure-related challenges, operators must manage increasing power densities, increasingly ambitious sustainability targets and a persistent shortage of specialized skills.
Recent industry analyses show that recruiting and retaining qualified personnel is one of the main obstacles to market growth. The difficulty of finding technical and operational professionals increases pressure on existing teams and can directly affect the efficiency and reliability of infrastructures.
The supply chain also plays a critical role. Increasingly demanding project schedules and the complexity of modern infrastructures require reliable technology partners capable of ensuring quality, equipment availability and support throughout the entire lifecycle of the installation.
To meet the growing demands for efficiency, reliability and sustainability that characterize modern Data Centers, Daikin offers a comprehensive portfolio of solutions designed to support every stage of the cooling process, rom chilled-water generation to cooling distribution. This technology ecosystem can adapt to different infrastructure configurations and meet the requirements of both traditional air-cooling systems and the most advanced liquid-cooling architectures, which are becoming increasingly common in high-density Data Centers.
At the foundation of every efficient cooling infrastructure lies cooling generation. In this field, Daikin offers solutions specifically developed for Data Center applications, such as the EWFH-TZ-D free-cooling chiller, featuring an inverter-driven screw compressor and cooling capacities ranging from 150 to 1,950 kW. The system is designed to maximize free-cooling operation and significantly reduce energy consumption throughout the year. Thanks to its ability to operate under extreme climatic conditions, from -30°C to +55°C, it is particularly well suited to ensuring operational continuity and high performance even in the most critical environments.
Discover the key aspects to consider when selecting an air-cooled chiller for your Data Center.
Once generated, cooling capacity must be distributed effectively throughout the Data Center. In this area as well, Daikin offers various solutions designed to meet different project requirements. Among them is the Pro-W fan wall unit, engineered to deliver maximum operational flexibility and easy scalability over time. Based on modular fan wall technology, the Pro-W enhances system resilience and redundancy—essential features in mission-critical environments. The latest version, Pro-W Slim, has been developed to optimize the use of available space within plant rooms, allowing a larger area to be dedicated to IT equipment without compromising cooling efficiency.
For projects requiring cooling distribution directly within the data hall, Daikin offers the Pro-C CRAH (Computer Room Air Handler), designed to meet the requirements of modern Data Centers with cooling capacities ranging from 30 to 210 kW. This unit ensures precise environmental control and optimized airflow management, helping maintain high performance while keeping energy consumption under control.
Explore our overview dedicated to selecting ventilation and air management units for Data Centers.
The evolution of digital infrastructures and the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence workloads are also driving operators toward liquid-cooling technologies, capable of handling significantly higher thermal densities than traditional systems. For these applications, Daikin has developed its own Coolant Distribution Unit (CDU), a solution designed to supply high-density liquid-cooling systems while ensuring operational reliability, precise temperature control and maximum energy efficiency. This technology is a key enabler for next-generation Data Centers, where computing performance and sustainability must go hand in hand.
Thanks to an offering that covers the entire cooling chain, from cooling generation to cooling distribution, Daikin positions itself as a single-source partner for the design of efficient, resilient digital infrastructures ready to support the growth of the most advanced applications, from high-performance computing to Artificial Intelligence.
To support the evolution of the Data Center market, Daikin Applied Europe has strengthened its organization with a dedicated team of engineers, application specialists and project managers capable of supporting customers and consultants at every stage of a project.
A distinctive element is Daikin’s strong industrial presence in Italy. The Ariccia facility, a European center of excellence for the design and production of advanced HVAC solutions, demonstrates the company’s ongoing commitment to enhancing local manufacturing expertise and promoting Made in Italy innovation.
Thanks to an end-to-end model integrating design, manufacturing, testing, commissioning and after-sales service, Daikin ensures high quality standards and direct control over key technologies, including strategic components such as compressors and fans, guaranteeing reliable and optimized delivery timelines.
To explore the main industry trends and share the latest innovations in mission-critical cooling, Daikin organized a seminar dedicated to the Data Center sector at its Ariccia headquarters.
The event brought together designers, consultants and industry professionals, creating an important opportunity to discuss the challenges shaping the future of digital infrastructures: energy efficiency, operational reliability, the new requirements introduced by Artificial Intelligence, and the evolution of the Italian regulatory landscape.
A significant development is represented by Lombardy Regional Law No. 11/2026, the first comprehensive regulatory framework in Italy specifically dedicated to Data Center development. The regulation introduces an approach that goes beyond planning and permitting aspects, placing particular emphasis on energy efficiency, sustainable resource management and waste heat recovery.
In line with European decarbonization objectives and the growing adoption of district heating networks, heat recovery is no longer considered a secondary opportunity but an increasingly important element in the design of new digital infrastructures. The possibility of transferring thermal energy generated by Data Centers to buildings, urban districts or industrial users helps improve overall energy-system efficiency and reduce CO₂ emissions. In highly regulated markets such as Germany, new requirements related to energy efficiency and heat recovery are redefining Data Center design. Addressing these challenges requires solutions that ensure sustainability, regulatory compliance and operational reliability. Discover how Daikin can support your project and transform new obligations into a competitive advantage.
In this scenario, HVAC technologies play a strategic role. Solutions designed to maximize operational efficiency, operate with supply-water temperatures compatible with heat recovery, and facilitate integration with district heating networks enable operators to prepare for regulatory developments while increasing the value of their infrastructures. In this direction, Daikin continues to develop innovative solutions, supporting consultants, developers and operators in creating increasingly efficient, sustainable and future-ready Data Centers.
One example is the EWWH-VZ heat pump range, designed to efficiently recover and reuse waste heat generated by data centers, for example by supplying district heating networks. Thanks to the ability to deliver hot water at temperatures of up to 90°C, EWWH-VZ units are ideal for projects focused on heat recovery. At the same time, they can provide evaporator leaving water temperatures of up to 45°C, making them fully compatible with the most advanced liquid-cooling architectures. This solution combines energy efficiency, sustainability and maximum operational performance.
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