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In an era where data centers have become the backbone of our digital economy, their environmental impact - particularly water usage for cooling - has emerged as a critical sustainability challenge. At Metrobloks, zero cooling water usage is not a feature; it’s foundational. Wherever possible, our systems are engineered from the ground up to support the extreme densities of AI and high-performance computing without relying on evaporative cooling. This approach breaks the traditional link between performance and environmental cost, delivering high-efficiency, closed-loop thermal systems without evaporative loss or ongoing water draw.
Traditional data centers are significant water consumers. According to recent research from Dgtl Infra, a typical large-scale data center can use between 1-5 million gallons of water daily, equivalent to the water consumption of a town of 10,000-50,000 residents. Microsoft’s recent sustainability report notes: "Data centers consume approximately 1% of global water withdrawals," a figure that continues to rise as AI workloads drive compute densities to unprecedented levels.
This water demand is especially problematic in urban environments, where Metrobloks focuses its operations. In cities already facing water stress, adding large-scale evaporative cooling facilities only deepens the resource conflict.
Sustainability at Metrobloks isn't an ESG afterthought — it's design principle. Our Miami facility showcases a fully integrated, waterless cooling system, built from the ground up for AI-scale workloads in constrained urban zones.
Unlike conventional data centers that rely on cooling towers and continuous water replenishment, wherever possible Metrobloks facilities utilize closed-loop water chillers. Once filled during construction, these systems recirculate the same water continuously through a sealed system, virtually eliminating water consumption while maintaining optimal cooling efficiency.
Metrobloks facilities support a flexible cooling approach that can adapt to different workload requirements::
• Air-based cooling optimized up to 400W/SF for standard workloads
• Liquid-based cooling for high-density and AI workloads at 500W/SF up to 5000W/SF.
• Hybrid configurations that combine both approaches for maximum flexibility
This adaptive approach allows us to dynamically match cooling efficiency to each specific workload type, minimizing energy consumption, and further reducing environmental impact while supporting racks beyond 150kW+ density.
For the highest-density compute workloads, we deploy direct-to-chip liquid cooling technologies that maximize energy efficiency by removing heat directly from the source, bypassing traditional air systems entirely. This approach not only eliminates water waste but also significantly improves overall Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), optimizing energy consumption across our facilities.
Metrobloks’ commitment to environmental responsibility extends beyond water conservation:
• Strategic urban siting that revitalizes existing developed areas rather than consuming undeveloped land
• LEED and BREEAM certification targets for all facilities
• Prioritizing green energy options where viable, without compromising capacity, price, or availability.
According to Data Center Magazine, implementing closed-loop cooling systems can save up to 125 million liters (33 million gallons) of water annually per site. As AI accelerates infrastructure demand, the industry faces a choice: continue scaling compute with unsustainable resource tradeoffs — or fundamentally reimagine the approach.
By developing modular, efficient, and zero-water consumption data centers in urban locations, Metrobloks is demonstrating that sustainability and cutting-edge performance aren't mutually exclusive—they're mutually reinforcing pillars of truly future-proof digital infrastructure.
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Learn more about Metrobloks' sustainable approach to AI-ready urban data centers at metrobloks.com or contact Rich Fletcher, Senior Director of Sales, at fletcher@metrobloks.com.
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