Want to build a massive data center but don’t want to pay the environmental costs of cooling your super-heated servers? Head to the Arctic Circle. That’s what Facebook is doing with its , where temperatures have been known to get as low as -41.8 degrees Fahrenheit.
Facebook says they will use the freezing air to cool the thousands of servers within the building while harnessing any excess heat to keep the offices themselves warm. The company claims that the power usage efficiency at the facility is averaging 1.07 on the power usage effectiveness score, lower and greener than Google, which runs between 1.08 and 2.12.
In addition to the facility’s green cooling method, Facebook claims that all the equipment is powered by locally generated hydroelectric power. They have also praised the local community, saying: “Since we first announced our plans to come here, the local community has been amazingly supportive.”