AI infrastructure is pushing data centers into a new thermal reality. Higher rack densities, more demanding workloads, and rising power consumption are putting pressure on cooling systems designed for a different generation of computing. Operators now need to rethink how they manage heat, energy, water, and infrastructure resilience together.
The Europe Data Center Cooling and Thermal Management Forum 2026, taking place on November 9–10 at the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel & Conference Center in Frankfurt, Germany, brings together data center operators, infrastructure providers, engineering firms, and cooling technology specialists to examine these challenges.
Beyond Conventional Data Center Cooling
A central theme is the transition towards liquid cooling. As AI workloads drive higher rack densities, direct-to-chip and immersion cooling are moving into more serious deployment discussions. The forum will examine how operators can take these technologies beyond pilot projects and integrate them into industrial-scale data center environments.
The agenda also looks at the economics of thermal management. Sessions will address energy efficiency, cost optimization, and managing Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) as infrastructure demands grow. Discussions on retrofitting existing air-cooled facilities and adopting prefabricated modular data centers will offer perspectives on adapting infrastructure without always starting from scratch.
Sustainability adds another dimension. Waste heat recovery, water efficiency, and decarbonization will feature alongside sessions on AI-powered cooling optimization and the thermal demands of next-generation AI chips. Together, these topics connect cooling architecture with the broader challenge of building resilient, energy-efficient AI infrastructure.
Also Read: ODSC AI West 2026: Taking Agentic AI from Research to Real-World Deployment
Data Center and Thermal Management Leaders on the Lineup
The featured speakers include Dr. Jon Summers, Scientific Lead in Data Centres at Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), and Luca Neumann, Policy Manager at Euroheat & Power, bringing research and policy perspectives to the discussions.
Also featured are Roy Maxwell, Director of ESG & Product Management at Kevlinx Data Centers, David Hubert, Vice President of Design & Solutions at Maincubes, and Rodney Lendore, Director for Hyperscale Solutions at Maincubes. The organizer notes that additional speakers will be announced.
Explore the featured speakers and 2026 agenda here.
For data center operators, infrastructure executives, and cooling technology providers, the forum offers a focused platform to examine how thermal management must evolve as AI computing expands.
To know more about the event, agenda, and registration, visit the official Europe Data Center Cooling and Thermal Management Forum website.
