Driving data centers in the age of AI

By Todd Grabowski, President of Global Data Centers & Applied Equipment at Johnson Controls.
AI is transforming the world and data centers are leading the way. As demand accelerates, so do the challenges. At Johnson Controls, we’ve spent decades in the field, working shoulder-to-shoulder with customers to continuously solve the real-world problems that come with designing, building and operating data centers at scale around the world.

We’ve seen these challenges fall into three main categories: keeping up with rapidly evolving technologies, delivering services on time globally, and managing local legal and environmental variations. By working closely with our customers – every day, across every facet of our business – we solve these problems through our unique ability to innovate, scale, and consistently execute a proven strategy that does not waver in the face of the data center industry’s rapidly changing landscape.

Take cooling, for example. AI workloads are pushing energy use to new extremes, with resources and systems struggling to keep up. That’s why we developed our global data center solutions organization and launched products like the YORK YVAM chiller – engineered to operate without consuming water, deliver up to 40% energy savings, and perform predictably and reliably whether it’s installed in Dublin or Dubai. It’s one design, any location. That kind of consistency matters when uptime is non-negotiable.

But cooling is just one piece of the puzzle. Customers are under pressure to bring facilities online fast—often with contractual deadlines that leave no room for delays. We help them meet those deadlines with a global footprint that includes 40,000 field personnel and manufacturing hubs across all key regions. That scalability means faster delivery, local support, and fewer surprises for our customers. And once the facilities are online, customers leverage our 140 years of experience implementing building controls that manage critical environments efficiently and resiliently.

And when something isn’t available off the shelf? We adapt. At our Johnson Controls Advanced Development Engineering Center (JADEC) in Pennsylvania, we’ve built the world’s largest and most advanced innovation and test lab of its kind. This is where we invite our customers to collaborate and jointly solve their toughest problems, then design and test the purpose-built technologies needed to keep pace with the demands of AI.

Security is another area where we’re helping customers stay ahead. Our systems can recognize and track up to 75 distinct objects, including license plates, people, and backpacks as they move through a facility, all while applying granular access controls and real-time threat detection. These innovations mean we are able to help customers protect their assets without slowing down operations.

As data centers generate more heat, the likelihood of fire increases, but our fire detection systems can provide early warning hours before any risk becomes critical. And if suppression is needed, we use mist systems that remove heat without flooding the space or displacing oxygen. It’s safer for people, and better for equipment.

What ties everything together is how we show up. We don’t just drop off equipment and walk away. We place teams on-site. We manage entire project lifecycles—from design and commissioning to service and upgrades—so our customers can stay focused on what matters most.

And we’re not just doing this once. We’ve done it hundreds of times, in every kind of environment. That’s why we’ve been recognized by ABI Research as a global leader in data center solutions. Not just for our innovative technology, but for our ability to deliver it consistently, at scale, and in close partnership with our customers.

The future of AI and data centers is moving fast. With a strategy defined by years of successfully teaming up with our customers to solve their most pressing challenges, we’re not just ready—we’ve been building for this moment all along.

Learn more about our innovative solutions for data centers here.