Total take-up in the European Data Centre market for 2008 was down 7% in 2008 at 147,380 m[sup]2[/sup] across the five tier 1 markets - London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Madrid, figures from CB Richard Ellis show. The fall follows a record level of take-up figure reported in 2007 and was 131% higher than 2006.

Total take-up in the European Data Centre market for 2008 was down 7% in 2008 at 147,380 m2 across the five tier 1 markets - London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Madrid, figures from CB Richard Ellis show. The fall follows a record level of take-up figure reported in 2007 and was 131% higher than 2006.

Andrew Jay, head of Technology Practice Group, CB Richard Ellis, said: 'The buoyant activity amongst occupiers and developers of technical real estate in Europe during the course of 2008 has defied the global economic downturn and provides strong evidence that the data centre industry has reached a maturity perhaps not previously witnessed. However in 2009, given the constraints in the capital markets, total take-up will reduce and it is likely that there will be fewer of the capital-intensive single-let shell transactions which have a significant impact on take-up levels.'

2008 was also the year that energy dominated the data centre agenda, according to Jonathan Heap, director, iXNewsSearch Consulting. 'Occupiers focussed on how to use it more efficiently in the data centre environment whilst developers concentrated on acquiring it from renewable sources and making use of any waste products. 2009 should see more schemes involving ‘innovation in the data centre’ come to fruition.'