Digital infrastructure company, Equinix announced the launch of its new International Business Exchange data center, named MU4, located in Aschheim, near Munich. The new facility will support the growing digital needs of the organizations in the region by providing them with direct, secure, and fast connections to a multitude of cloud providers, services, and partners.
Climate-neutral operations
The new facility will allow organizations to benefit from software-defined Equinix Fabric, enabling them to quickly and flexibly connect to the cloud and network providers. The new facility is designed in line with the company’s global sustainability strategy, aiming for climate-neutral operation by 2030. MU4 will have a green façade and partially planted roof.
The company also stated that the next construction phase is due to see the installation of an Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage system. It allows thermal energy to be stored and recovered, and will help optimize cooling efficiency to reduce the overall carbon footprint. The data center is expected to be powered by 100% renewable energy, which is purchased from a local supplier, Mainova, through a green power certificate. Jens-Peter Feidner, Managing Director for Germany at Equinix said,
« We provide companies in Munich with the most dynamic digital infrastructure platform available, and want it to be as climate-friendly as feasible. As the first operator in the industry to commit to science-based climate targets, we continuously explore and invest in new climate friendly technologies to further reduce emissions and save resources. On a local level, we are committed to working with operators, political decision-makers, and energy providers to target the long-term challenges of sustainable digitization to the benefit of the surrounding community. This includes design aspects such as the use of greened facades as well as potential measures supporting the energy transition like the use of waste heat. »