Presented By: Graham Sustainability Institute
Water@Michigan Coffee Talk: Data Centers, Energy, and Water Systems: Modeling the impacts on infrastructure, environment, and affordability
Rabab Haider, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Event Logistics:
📅 Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
🕑 Time: 3:00-4:30p
📍 Location: Michigan League, Hussey Room [911 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109]
Talk Description: Data Centers, Energy, and Water Systems: Modeling the impacts on infrastructure, environment, and affordability
As data centers rapidly expand across the U.S. and globally, they are reshaping communities, resource consumption, and sustainability. In Michigan alone, there are at least 16 proposed datacenter sites in 10 counties across the Lower Peninsula. Access to land, electricity, and water, as well as favourable regulations and tax incentives are driving the data center boom. However, there are concerns over the sustainability of data centers and their impacts on both the natural and built environment. Data centers already make up 4% of total electricity consumption in the U.S., and are expected to consume 6-12% by 2030. Both the load growth and corresponding uncertainty present a challenge to utility companies: how do we plan for unprecedented levels of load growth? How do we accommodate uncertainty in load forecasts? How do we ensure affordable and reliable access to electricity and water? This talk will share findings from an ongoing project on Data center Energy and Water Systems (DEWS). Through a literature review and expert interviews with stakeholders and companies involved in data center development and operations, we are exploring the impacts of data centers on infrastructure, environment, and affordability.
About the Speaker:
Rabab Haider, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Dr. Rabab Haider is an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan. Her research is centered on designing future energy systems that provide green, reliable, and affordable energy for All. Her group develops optimization and AI algorithms that advance energy system operations, planning, and market under deep decarbonization. Dr. Haider’s portfolio also includes engagement with multiple global organizations to enable widespread access to STEMM education, mentorship, and leadership training. She received her Ph.D. and S.M. degrees at MIT, and B.A.Sc in Engineering Science at the University of Toronto. She was previously named a MIT Energy Fellow and MathWorks-MIT Mechanical Engineering Fellow. Dr. Haider is also an Affiliate Faculty at the Georgia Institute of Technology and NSF AI Institute for Advances in Optimization (AI4OPT).
You can register for the event here: https://graham.umich.edu/wateratmichigan/coffee-talks
About Coffee Talks: Coffee Talks provide a monthly opportunity for U-M faculty, staff, and students interested in water, and water-interested people in southeast Michigan to connect with colleagues, learn about pressing and/or emerging water-related issues, and meet new partners. This academic year, we are excited to explore the intersection of water + energy and what this nexus means to U-M researchers, institutes, and external partners. Coffee Talks are in-person convenings designed to build connections as part of the U-M Water Center's mission and programs; we are not recording sessions at this time.
📅 Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
🕑 Time: 3:00-4:30p
📍 Location: Michigan League, Hussey Room [911 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109]
Talk Description: Data Centers, Energy, and Water Systems: Modeling the impacts on infrastructure, environment, and affordability
As data centers rapidly expand across the U.S. and globally, they are reshaping communities, resource consumption, and sustainability. In Michigan alone, there are at least 16 proposed datacenter sites in 10 counties across the Lower Peninsula. Access to land, electricity, and water, as well as favourable regulations and tax incentives are driving the data center boom. However, there are concerns over the sustainability of data centers and their impacts on both the natural and built environment. Data centers already make up 4% of total electricity consumption in the U.S., and are expected to consume 6-12% by 2030. Both the load growth and corresponding uncertainty present a challenge to utility companies: how do we plan for unprecedented levels of load growth? How do we accommodate uncertainty in load forecasts? How do we ensure affordable and reliable access to electricity and water? This talk will share findings from an ongoing project on Data center Energy and Water Systems (DEWS). Through a literature review and expert interviews with stakeholders and companies involved in data center development and operations, we are exploring the impacts of data centers on infrastructure, environment, and affordability.
About the Speaker:
Rabab Haider, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Dr. Rabab Haider is an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan. Her research is centered on designing future energy systems that provide green, reliable, and affordable energy for All. Her group develops optimization and AI algorithms that advance energy system operations, planning, and market under deep decarbonization. Dr. Haider’s portfolio also includes engagement with multiple global organizations to enable widespread access to STEMM education, mentorship, and leadership training. She received her Ph.D. and S.M. degrees at MIT, and B.A.Sc in Engineering Science at the University of Toronto. She was previously named a MIT Energy Fellow and MathWorks-MIT Mechanical Engineering Fellow. Dr. Haider is also an Affiliate Faculty at the Georgia Institute of Technology and NSF AI Institute for Advances in Optimization (AI4OPT).
You can register for the event here: https://graham.umich.edu/wateratmichigan/coffee-talks
About Coffee Talks: Coffee Talks provide a monthly opportunity for U-M faculty, staff, and students interested in water, and water-interested people in southeast Michigan to connect with colleagues, learn about pressing and/or emerging water-related issues, and meet new partners. This academic year, we are excited to explore the intersection of water + energy and what this nexus means to U-M researchers, institutes, and external partners. Coffee Talks are in-person convenings designed to build connections as part of the U-M Water Center's mission and programs; we are not recording sessions at this time.
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