Data centre airflow management set to accelerate, say reports

The data centre industry is experiencing a surge in airflow management solutions, driven by higher-density workloads and energy efficiency targets, with market forecasts predicting significant growth through 2030 as innovative cooling systems reshape operational strategies.

Data centre operators and equipment manufacturers are increasingly turning to directed airflow solutions as a central lever for cutting energy use and managing the thermal stresses of denser computing loads. According to the market note published by Valuates and carried on OpenPR, Data Center Airflow Management Systems , encompassing cold aisle and hot aisle containment among other measures , are positioned for pronounced growth through the remainder of the decade as data halls scale and cooling efficiency becomes a primary operating constraint. ^[1]

Market-size projections vary by analyst, but all point to robust expansion. Valuates provides a multi‑regional forecast through 2030, while industry trackers offering slightly different scopes show the containment and related airflow markets expanding at annual rates in the high single digits to low teens. For example, a market summary published on Yahoo Finance anticipates the data centre containment market will reach approximately $4.6 billion by 2030 at a 12.7% CAGR, whereas Strategic Market Research projects growth from $3.2 billion in 2024 to about $5.5 billion by 2030 at a 9.6% CAGR. MarketResearch.com models the broader airflow management market reaching about $1.5 billion by 2030 at an 8.0% CAGR. These variations reflect differing definitions , containment-only versus broader airflow and cooling segments , and underline why vendors and buyers should read forecasts with attention to scope. ^[1][3][4][5]

The drivers behind these forecasts are consistent: hyperscale, colocation and cloud operators are deploying higher‑density racks and AI‑optimised workloads that generate concentrated heat loads, prompting greater investment in containment, in‑row cooling and complementary systems. A GlobeNewswire industry report highlights that the overall data centre cooling market is being reshaped by AI and HPC workloads, forecasting the cooling market to more than double by 2030 as operators adopt advanced cooling technologies. PR Newswire separately underscores growth in ancillary segments such as cooling towers, which it says are expanding at a projected 10.9% CAGR as sites seek reliable thermal management. Together these signals point to an ecosystem-level shift in how operators integrate airflow management with plant-level cooling. ^[6][2]

Technology innovation is sharpening the value proposition for airflow management. Suppliers are pairing passive containment with active controls, AI-driven airflow optimisation and, increasingly, liquid‑cooling hybrids for the highest density deployments. The Yahoo Finance summary and other market reports note that AI‑optimised cooling controls and smart liquid‑cooling solutions are major growth vectors, improving energy efficiency while enabling denser compute. Industry data also indicates that regional dynamics matter: North America remains the largest market today, benefiting from a mature hyperscale and cloud ecosystem, while Asia‑Pacific is cited by Valuates and other analysts as a fast‑growing region as new capacity comes online. ^[3][1][7]

The vendor landscape is diverse, ranging from established power and infrastructure suppliers to specialist containment and controls firms. According to the Valuates briefing, major manufacturers include Schneider Electric, Vertiv, Rittal, Stulz, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Eaton and ABB, among others; Valuates also notes that the top vendors account for a substantial share of revenue in 2023. That market concentration coexists with a long tail of niche providers offering bespoke containment panels, blanking solutions, aisle doors and software for dynamic airflow management. Buyers face trade‑offs between turnkey systems from large incumbents and specialised products from smaller vendors that may be quicker to adopt cutting‑edge controls. ^[1]

Operational and regulatory pressures are reinforcing uptake. Operators cite lower PUE (power usage effectiveness), reduced risk of hotspots and improved reliability as primary motives for investment, while government and corporate energy‑efficiency targets are nudging procurement toward demonstrable gains in cooling performance. DataIntelo and other regional studies point to North American leadership in current spend, driven by hyperscalers and large cloud operators, with regulatory and sustainability programmes further accelerating adoption. These forces suggest that airflow management will remain a near‑term focus as part of broader decarbonisation and resilience strategies. ^[7][5]

Cost, integration complexity and the evolving trade‑offs between air and liquid cooling remain sources of debate. Some analysts emphasise that while containment and airflow controls deliver strong returns in many retrofits and new builds, liquid cooling will claim an increasing share of the highest‑density segments, requiring hybrid approaches and careful systems engineering. Market watchers advise that purchasers assess end‑to‑end cooling architectures and warranties, as well as the controls and monitoring stacks, rather than viewing containment in isolation. The differing market-size estimates across research houses reinforce that purchasing decisions should be informed by clearly defined performance objectives and lifecycle cost modelling. ^[3][4][5]

As data centre workloads continue to change, airflow management is likely to evolve from a facility optimisation item into an architectural discipline integral to site design. According to the Valuates report and corroborating market studies, containment, active controls and integrated plant cooling together form the toolkit operators will use to balance density, cost and sustainability through 2030. Vendors that can demonstrate measurable energy savings, seamless integration with building management and compatibility with liquid cooling options are best placed to capture the rising demand. ^[1][6][2]

📌 Reference Map:

##Reference Map:

• ^[1] (OpenPR/Valuates) – Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2, Paragraph 5, Paragraph 8
• ^[3] (Yahoo Finance) – Paragraph 2, Paragraph 4, Paragraph 7
• ^[4] (Strategic Market Research) – Paragraph 2, Paragraph 7
• ^[5] (MarketResearch.com) – Paragraph 2, Paragraph 6, Paragraph 7
• ^[6] (GlobeNewswire) – Paragraph 3, Paragraph 8
• ^[2] (PR Newswire) – Paragraph 3, Paragraph 8
• ^[7] (DataIntelo) – Paragraph 4, Paragraph 6

Source: Fuse Wire Services