Step into the intersection of data, policy, and design. Students from SPIA 4464: Data and the Art of Policy and Plans bring their final projects to life in this open, public exhibition — exploring the real-world policy debates shaping data center development in Virginia and across the world. Through Visual Storytelling and Interactive Media, their work transforms complex policy questions into compelling, accessible, engaging, and actionable narratives.
The event took place on April 28th, 2026, at the Center of the Arts, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, with 60+ participants (in-person and online).
Environment
Data centers don’t exist in a vacuum. This section maps the cumulative environmental footprint of digital infrastructure — revealing how the invisible weight of the internet lands on land, air, and water in real communities.
Water
Every search query has a thirst. Students investigate how data centers consume and compete for water resources in Virginia, and what mandatory disclosure and community benefit agreements could mean for drinking water security in Potomac River Basin and beyond.
Air
What are we breathing while the AI runs? This section examines air quality impacts from backup generators and cooling systems, and makes the case for community monitoring networks and cumulative impact assessments near schools and homes.
Energy
Your electric bill tells one story — the data center tells another. As AI infrastructure quietly drives up regional energy demand, everyday consumers face rising costs and reliability risks. Students examine how data centers strain local grids, crowd out household access to affordable renewable energy, and what binding commitments to clean energy could mean for both communities and the climate.
Green Infrastructure
Can data centers coexist with green space? Students envision compact, ecologically responsible facility design — and challenge developers to build smarter, not just bigger.
Land Use Change
Once farmland is gone, it’s gone. Students trace the conversion of Boutetourt County’s rural reserves to data center development, asking who benefits, who decides, and what gets lost in the process.
AI boom
Behind every AI model is a supply chain with real consequences. This interactive section examines how the global race for AI infrastructure concentrates environmental burdens — locally and in the Global South — and asks: at whose expense is the future being built by connecting linguistic diversity and data centers?
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Policy
Data without policy is just noise. Students analyze policy proposals — from zoning reforms to environmental impact requirements — demonstrating how evidence can drive or strain institutional accountability.
Community Organizing
Change doesn’t happen in spreadsheets. This theme tells the story of powerful coalition-building, public engagement, and holding corporations accountable through collective action and organizing that shield air quality impacts from those most vulnerable to the harmful impacts of these infrastructures.