Recently, we had the privilege of participating in a Digital Futures Programme Challenge Day at UTC Oxfordshire, where Year 10 and Year 12 students took on the ambitious task of designing a fully operational data centre.  

The event, led by CBRE and supported by industry partners like Cyrus One, LMG, and ARK, provided students with a unique, hands-on introduction to the world of digital infrastructure. 

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A day of innovation and teamwork

The challenge for the students was straightforward but did have some complexities that they needed to consider: build a data centre that could meet the demands of our ever-growing digital world.

From streaming services to online banking, data centres power our daily lives—and the students were tasked with designing centres that could address critical factors like location, energy efficiency, cost, environmental impact, and security. 

Our role was to mentor the students, challenging them to think outside the box. Each mentor was assigned to a classroom, where we worked closely with small teams of students throughout the day. 

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Early ideas and creative thinking

It didn’t take long for the students to dive into brainstorming. After assigning a Project Manager and other job roles within the groups, early discussions revealed a wide range of creative and thoughtful ideas from some of the Year 10s (14/15 years old): 

Location

• Underground facilities to manage cooling naturally 
• Mountainside data centres for stability and temperature control
• Expanding into regions like Canada, Sweden, South Africa, and even more unexpected locations like Algeria  

Power sources 

• Harnessing water and solar power to create sustainable energy solutions 
• Exploring innovative renewable sources to ensure the data centres are both eco-friendly and cost-effective 

Cost

• Required job roles and their respective salaries 
• Materials and equipment required for the project 

One group of students even suggested building a data centre on the moon—a bold and imaginative idea that sparked conversations about the future of technology and space-based infrastructure. 

Read more about other Digital Futures events at UTCs across the UK

UTC Reading Bridge-Building Challenge 

UTC Heathrow Sustainability Challenge Day  

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Guiding future engineers

Throughout the day, we were impressed by the students’ ability to approach the challenge from multiple angles, blending skills from various disciplines such as architecture, geography, and finance.  

Natasha Hogan, Head of Marketing at LMG, captured the essence of the day perfectly: 

“I was impressed with the total mix of skills shown by the students at UTC Oxfordshire. Some students had more of an architecture focus, others showed skills in geography or finance, and they were able to identify appropriate roles in their team. They approached the problem creatively and thought in detail about the issues at hand, including talent, sustainability, ethics, and cost.” 

Paul Murley, an Engineering Supervisor from CBRE, added: 

“The students have come up with so many interesting ideas. I was able to walk through all of the project rooms and get a great feel for the wide variety of data centre designs produced by the students, who were thinking in detail about fire systems, security, and locations.

It was a really enjoyable day and was great to see so many young people actively engaging in the task. It was a pleasure to help them and I’m looking forward to seeing some of them hopefully join the rapidly growing world of data centres.”

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From concept to presentation

By the afternoon, the students had turned their ideas into tangible designs. Some teams built physical models using cardboard, while others created digital models using CAD software. Each group presented their project, explaining their design choices and how their data centre would address key considerations such as: 

• Location: Proximity to renewable energy sources and cooler climates to reduce cooling costs 
• Infrastructure: Number of servers, cabinets, and rooms required for scalability 
• Cost: Total build and operational expenses, including energy consumption and maintenance 
• Environmental impact: How the data centre would affect the local community and environment 
• Materials: Sustainable building materials to minimize environmental footprint 
• Security: Strategies for both physical and cybersecurity to protect the data and infrastructure 

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Celebrating success

One of the highlights of the day was seeing the students present their projects with confidence and enthusiasm. After careful deliberation, we were thrilled to announce the winning team. Congratulations to Laura, Vanessa, and Amalia! 

This all-female Year 12 team stood out for their exceptional teamwork, innovative design, and thoughtful presentation. Their data centre concept demonstrated a deep understanding of sustainability, infrastructure, and cost-efficiency, and they impressed us with their ability to address the project holistically. 

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Inspiring the next generation

This Challenge Day was more than just an exercise in engineering—it was an opportunity to inspire the next generation of data centre professionals. As mentors, we were amazed by the students’ creativity, problem-solving skills, and enthusiasm for tackling real-world challenges. 

This event brought the digital infrastructure industry to life for these students, offering them a glimpse into a field that is essential to our modern world. We left UTC Oxfordshire inspired by their potential and excited to see how these future engineers will shape the industry in the years to come. 

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