Recognition for research into reducing the energy demands of AI infrastructure
Dr Umaima Haider, a researcher at the University of East London’s Docklands campus, has been named among this year’s TechWomen100, according to London TV. Her work focuses on reducing the environmental impact of digital infrastructure, particularly data centres that power artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
The accolade comes as the Royal Docks area — home to UEL — is poised to host one of London’s largest planned data-centre campuses. The development has secured planning permission from Newham Council and is designed to meet growing demand for compute capacity linked to AI and related services.
London TV reported that the proposed campus includes three data-centre buildings and a facility intended to provide training and local career opportunities. The plans incorporate energy-saving measures, notably cooling systems that do not rely on water evaporation and provision for a future connection to a district heating network — steps intended to limit water use and improve energy efficiency.
“The awards were about ‘visibility’,” Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE, founder and CEO of WeAreTechWomen, said, according to the report.
Dr Haider leads research and industry collaborations on energy-efficient, resilient digital infrastructure. Her work spans assessments and sustainability strategies for more than 400 data centres across Europe and the Middle East, London TV said, and she contributes to UK policy discussions on reducing the sector’s environmental impact.
Why this matters beyond Docklands
Data centres are resource-intensive: they consume large amounts of electricity for compute and cooling, and their siting, design and operational choices determine water use, heat rejection and grid demand. As municipalities and developers in South Africa plan investment in digital infrastructure, the technical and policy lessons that researchers such as Dr Haider are developing abroad are pertinent.
Local planners and industry observers watching the roll-out of AI-driven services will need to consider:
- energy sources and supply resilience for new data facilities;
- water-efficient cooling technologies and sustainable waste-heat reuse; and
- skills and training opportunities that connect local communities to new jobs.
London TV reported that the Royal Docks plan includes provision for training and local recruitment. That mirrors an international expectation that large data-centre projects should include community benefits as part of their social licence to operate.
Features of the planned Royal Docks campus
The London TV report summarised the campus design and aims. Key elements cited include:
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Buildings | Three data-centre buildings |
| Community facility | Training and career opportunities for the local area |
| Cooling | Non-evaporative cooling systems to reduce water use |
| Heat recovery | Provision for future district heating connection |
According to London TV, a panel of 20 independent judges selected Dr Haider for the TechWomen100 award run by WeAreTechWomen. The awards celebrate achievements across technology fields including AI, cyber security and software engineering, and aim to showcase role models and career pathways for women in tech.
The recognition of researchers working on the environmental dimensions of data infrastructure highlights a growing industry emphasis on sustainability. For East London and other South African cities, that emphasis raises practical questions for local authorities, utilities and industry about planning, permitting, skills development and energy policy as demand for cloud and AI capacity grows.
While this award and the Royal Docks project are rooted in the UK, the technical approaches cited — low-water cooling, heat reuse and community training — are transferable concepts. Municipal planners and industry stakeholders in South Africa who anticipate larger-scale digital infrastructure would do well to track these developments and consider how to adapt them to local energy mixes, water constraints and labour markets.
London TV reported the recognition and the project details; WeAreTechWomen organised the TechWomen100 awards. The university affiliation is the University of East London’s Docklands campus.
