Inside BI Research: Power Grids, Data Centers, and a City in Transition
Extractive urban landscapes: On the expansion of data centers in berlin and the transformation of urban infrastructures
At the latest Research Colloquium held at Berlin International, the focus shifted from architecture and design to infrastructure and digital power. Fabian Halfar and Niklas Steinke, both engaged in critical urban research, took the floor to present their compelling findings on the expanding footprint of data centers—and their deep, often overlooked impact on Berlin’s electricity infrastructure.
Their presentation shed light on a growing tension: the rapid rise of data centers is exerting enormous pressure on the city's already burdened urban power grid. These centers—integral to digital economies—consume vast amounts of electricity, reshaping how power is distributed across the city.
One of the most concerning developments, they argued, is the speculative securing of high-voltage grid connections. Often obtained long before actual use and in volumes exceeding current needs, these speculative claims effectively capture and block off portions of the grid. As a result, powerful digital actors—cloud providers, real estate developers, and global tech firms—are reorienting critical infrastructure in their favor.
This trend, which the presenters referred to using the term digitally induced infrastructure extractivism, describes a process where digital businesses appropriate and scale urban infrastructure to suit data-driven models. But this shift comes with a cost. Smaller, local businesses—those without the capital or influence to stake their claim—are increasingly edged out.
What emerges is a form of what has been described in Sweden as energy gentrification: a gradual displacement of smaller players from the energy market, driven by unequal access to power itself.
As Berlin continues to grow as a strategic site for data center investment, Halfar and Steinke’s call was clear: we must take a closer look at how digital infrastructures silently but significantly reshape urban life—not just digitally, but spatially, socially, and politically.
Their research opens up crucial conversations at the intersection of technology, urban policy, and justice. In a time when infrastructure is often invisible until it fails or is contested, this work invites students, researchers, and city-makers alike to ask: who gets access, who gets excluded, and what kind of city do we want to build?
Thank you to Fabian Halfar and Niklas Steinke for their thought-provoking contribution. For those interested in continuing the conversation or reaching out directly, feel free to contact them at:
n.steinke@campus.tu-berlin.de
fa.halfar@googlemail.com
Apply for BA Business Administration
To meet our admission requirements for the Bachelor degree programs in Business Administration, one needs to hold the German Abitur / Fachabitur or equivalent. Any foreign qualification will need to meet the equivalence criteria to these German certificates, which is set by the German Central Office for Foreign Education.
The requirements for equivalence vary from country to country. We have summarized a few of the most frequently asked about education systems:
To confirm whether you meet the requirements to study in Germany, the German Academic Exchange Service provides an English language resource here.
For the original German source, please check the homepage of the Kulturministerkonferenz here.
There are four admission possibilities:
Direct general admission – you are qualified to start undergraduate studies into any subject area.
Direct subject-restricted admission – you are qualified to begin undergraduate studies in the subject area you have previously studied.
Subject restricted admission to a preparatory course/the Feststellungsprüfung (university qualification exam) – you require additional periods of study before you can begin undergraduate studies in Germany, see more information below.
Admission is not possible without additional proof of education – the qualification you hold is not equivalent to a university entrance qualification in Germany. You will need to complete further qualifications to meet the admission requirements.
Preparatory Course / Additional Studies
If you current educational qualficiations do not fully meet the Abitur/ Fachabitur-level in Germany, and you will need a Preparatory Course or additional studies, here are your 3 options:
Option 1: International Year One
Through our brand new partnership with the Touro University Berlin, the International Year One is the perfect pathway to fulfill one year of university study after higher secondary education, ensuring a smooth transition into our bachelor programs in business administration.
Find out more here.
Option 2: Study time
As an alternative to our International Year One, you can enroll at a university outside of Germany, and complete the first academic year of a bachelor´s degree successfully. In order to meet the admission requirements, the university and program must be fully accredited, you must choose the same or related subject you intend to apply for at BI, and you must complete the first academic year with all courses and credits successfully. For some countries, you may need to complete more than 1 academic year.
If you choose this route, you would be welcome to apply as a transfer student into a higher semester. Read more about this in the ‘Transfer students and course acknowledgments’ section.
Option 3: Studienkolleg
A 'Studienkolleg' is a university preparatory course to prepare your for German universities. There are different types of Studienkolleg programs, for business programs, you would need to choose the 'W' or 'WW' course.
German language is required for anyone wanting to study at a Berlin-accredited university after completing the Studienkolleg.Therefore, it is not a typical route for our students.
For more information on Studienkolleg programs, click here.
Please note that Berlin International can only consider applicants who meet the admission requirements for the desired program.
All applicants who meet them will be subject to faculty selection and seat availability per program.
Applicants for our bachelor programs in Business Administration can join our International Year One, through our new partner Touro University Berlin, to meet the admission requirements mentioned above.
Find out more here.
The application process for studying BA Business Administration at Berlin International is straightforward. You can simply and safely share your personal information through our online application platform. After receiving a confirmation email with a link, a copy of the following documents can be uploaded:
- Passport
- High school diploma certificate with transcript (German Abitur, Fachabitur or equivalent). Please also submit an official translation of the diploma and transcript into English or German if they are in another language.
- University certificate with transcript (if applicable). Please also submit an official translation of the diploma and transcript into English or German if they are in another language.
- English language test certificate (CEFR level B2 or above)
For more information, including course acknowledgement and transfer applications, please use the menu item Admission.
Our BA Business Administration programs are taught in English. We will require proof of your language skills. German knowledge is not required.
If your language skills are at CEFR Level B2 or above, one of the following currently valid language test certificates and scores can be accepted for your application:
- TOEFL ITP: 543
- TOEFL IBT: 74
- IELTS (Academic): 6.0 Overall
- Cambridge FCE: B2
- PTE Academic: 59
- BI internal exam/ BAU 'English Language Proficiency Exam': 60/100
- IB Diploma: English A or B at HL or SL
- German Abitur
The score must be earned within the last two years.
If you have not completed high school in a majority-English speaking country (USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand) or a bachelor's degree fully in English, an approved language exam is required in order to qualify for admission.
You are welcome to attend the internal Berlin International language proficiency exam. It will be hosted online, participation is free of charge and can be offered once an application to one of our programs has been made and admission requirements have been met.
For the dates of our next language proficiency exam, see the Language Requirements tab on our Admissions Page.
Preparatory School:
If you do not yet have CEFR level B2 English and are eligible to study in a BA program at BI, you can sign up for our English Preparatory School.
