New data center for the Greater Zurich Area

The Geneva-based data center operator Safe Host is investing in the municipality of Beringen in the canton of Schaffhausen. The company is planning to build a new data center on the site of the former SIG tennis club. A planning application was submitted on April 9, a press release has revealed. In actual fact, there are two projects that require approval from the authorities: first of all, the data center itself, including any ancillary buildings, and second, a new substation for the EKS power station (canton of Schaffhausen electricity provider). Among other aspects, this should allow greater volumes of renewable energies to be supplied across the canton.

The new data center will produce its own solar energy. Photovoltaic systems will be installed on all free roof spaces as well as on the building’s south façade. In addition, the office complex will be heated using the waste heat generated in the data center, while rainwater will also be collected and stored where possible, before being treated and reused in cooling systems.

According to the press release, the municipality of Beringen regards the project as a “further milestone in the development of the industrial district”. The municipal council is said to be convinced that such a “high-tech building” will have a “signal effect” in Beringen.

The architects Schmidli Architekten + Partner from Rafz in the canton of Zurich are responsible for planning the project. The firm has already collaborated with Safe Host to plan the construction of its data center in Rafz, work on which is still in progress.

The data center in Beringen will be the fifth site operated by Safe Host. In addition to the new data center is Rafz, the company owns another three centers in the greater Geneva area.