A COURSE TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY

US-headquartered data center services provider CyrusOne, has announced the launch of its first net-positive water data center campus in Arizona.

According to the company, its 57-acre colocation campus in Chandler, Arizona; incorporates proprietary technology that significantly reduces water usage onsite and company-wide water usage by millions of gallons per year.

Through a partnership with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation’s Change the Course program, CyrusOne promises restoration to nearby watersheds with the Chandler campus water facility. Hence, as a Net-Positive Water Data Center, the facility will generate more water than the amount it uses.

“Part of being a good neighbor in Chandler and the surrounding Phoenix area is to take action to preserve its precious water resources. In fact, our data center restores more water than it withdraws, making our local presence a net benefit to the community,” said Kevin Timmons, CTO at CyrusOne.

The company has a significant record for the promotion of environmental sustainability. Last year, CyrusOne broke ground on its first Irish data center campus, a 74MW planned facility which is designed to have a “green wall” around the site to help make the buildings more energy efficient and act as carbon sinks, reducing carbon emissions. The company further mentioned that the green wall features rejuvenated grassland areas, pollinator-friendly planting and a habitat for amphibian wildlife.

Since deployment, CyrusOne said its Chandler facility has significantly reduced its water usage, using small amounts for cooling, humidification, facility maintenance, and domestic water.

“We know that the data centers we build today will serve our customers for decades, therefore, it is important that we continue to innovate and invest in design features to set the course for a sustainable future,” said Kyle Myers, Director of Environmental Health, Safety and Sustainability at CyrusOne.

”As far as we can tell, this is the first net water positive data center in the world, and we hope it will set a precedent for water sustainability standards and the future of data centers.”