Rating

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars

Join the discussion

1 comment

Share this article

Published on September 25th, 2008

Microsoft Opens New “Green” Data Center

Recently, Microsoft opened its new “nerve center” in San Antonio, Texas. The 470,000 square foot building cost $550 million, not including the computer servers and networking equipment required to host the data for Microsoft’s Windows Live and Microsoft Office Live services.

Beyond the size and cost, the building is also green, capable of utilizing 602,000 gallons of recycled waste water from San Antonio’s waste water system per day, translating into eight million gallons of recycled water per month, for its cooling system. The building also features solar panels and wind power to keep its systems up-and-running and is Microsoft’s most energy efficient data center built to date.

The building is the first of two identical buildings slotted for the area, with the second becoming operational in the next few months and will employ approximately 100 people.

Comments

  1. Energy Improvements Save EPA $15K - Earth911.com

    posted on December 8th, 2009 at 12:30 pm

    [...] year, Microsoft launched a data center powered by renewable energy including wind and solar panels. In some cases, utility companies will provide incentives to [...]

Join the discussion



Recently Added to Electronics

  • The Solar-Powered iPod: Does It Exist?

    Looking for a solar-powered iPhone or iPod? Don’t waste your time searching, because you won’t find it anytime soon. According to CrunchGear, while Apple has applied for a patent on solar cells for small media devices, the next iPod will …

  • Donate Your Cell Phone to Aid 'Catastrophic' Haiti

    Tuesday’s 7.0 magnitude earthquake that shook the island of Haiti has reportedly displaced 3 million people, trapped thousands in debris and may be responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands.

    As aid workers try to sift through the aftermath, communication …

  • NYC E-Waste Recycling Law Tied Up in Court

    Two electronics industry groups are fighting the legality of a New York City law that would require manufacturers to collect and recycle any electronic devices sold in the city, according to The New York Times.

    Passed in 2008, the bill was …