Green expands its data center capacity

Lupfig, August 26, 2024 – Green is today announcing the start of construction of its fourth data center on its Metro-Campus Zurich West. The company's headquarters will be home to 5,526 m² of new data center space for secure and energy-efficient high-performance computing. This is the equivalent of 12-megawatt output for customer systems. The Data Center Zurich West 4 will feature waste heat extraction to supply climate-neutral heating to the region.

Demand accelerating the start of construction

Demand for modern data centers is huge. New technologies such as artificial intelligence and the push for digitalization across all industries require more computing power and generate greater volumes of data. At the same time, we are witnessing an increase in the outsourcing of company-owned data centers, with many firms dismantling their own centers because they no longer offer sufficient capacity, flexibility and energy efficiency. “We are on the cusp of another wave of investment,” explains Roger Süess, CEO of Green, adding: “With our investment program, we are once again doubling our data center capacities over the next two to three years. Modern and efficient data centers are crucial if companies want to be able to realistically implement a sustainable and future-proof digitalization.”

Heating network-supported data centers

Green is creating its data center architecture with high energy efficiency and future requirements for high-performance computing firmly in focus. Data Center Zurich West 4 will feature waste heat extraction. The waste heat from customer systems will be fed into the new “Naturenergie Eigenamt” heating network, which is run by IBB Energie AG. Furthermore, for its cooling requirements, Green will use natural cooling (freecooling) from the ambient air, minimizing energy consumption as a result. Room designs, facilities and controls are in line with Green’s latest energy-saving reference architecture, while photovoltaic systems complement the concept.

Key details

•             Latest-generation high-performance data center

•             Commissioning: 2026

•             5,526 m² of data center space

•             Around 2,000 m² of office space

•             Climate-neutral heating for the region

•             100% renewable energy in data center operations

Switzerland is an established location for business and science and will focus its efforts even more on digital innovation going forward. Switzerland is also an attractive location within Europe when it comes to data. Demand for data center capacity is likely to remain high. Green is therefore already weighing up new locations in anticipation of the next phase of its expansion.