Skygard's Oslo data centre sets benchmark for green innovation

A new data centre project in the heart of Oslo is setting the standard for sustainability in the sector. Named Skygard, this facility promises to marry high security and low environmental impact, creating a green urban space whilst addressing national security and data safety.

Skygard, a Norwegian company, is leveraging the extensive expertise of international engineering consultancy COWI to establish a highly secure, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly data centre. This initiative aims to bolster Norway’s position in artificial intelligence (AI) while also setting a benchmark for energy efficiency in the data centre industry.

Committed to sustainability, Skygard will utilise renewable energy sources to power its operations. The excess heat generated by the data centre will be fed into Oslo's district heating network, making use of surplus energy and contributing to a circular energy economy. The company intends for Skygard to serve as a pilot project, guiding the design and operations of future data centres in Norway.

For the architectural design, Skygard has collaborated with the Norwegian company A-lab. The data centre will be situated in Hovinbyen, an industrial brownfield area in central Oslo. The transformation of this under-utilised site into a green public space highlights Skygard's commitment to urban regeneration and biodiversity. Despite its central location between a city street and a light rail track, the project minimises ecological disruption and enhances urban environmental quality.

Tommy Lundegaard, Business Development Director at COWI, expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, “In a time where data centres are facing increased scrutiny due to energy consumption and land use, Skygard is a visionary project that points the way to the future of data centres. At COWI, we are excited to be an integral part of Skygard’s project because it allows us to apply our capacities to fulfil the wishes and needs of our client.”

Modernising from older data centres to facilities like Skygard can significantly reduce power requirements—by 50 to 70 percent, according to industry estimates. Additionally, the utilisation of surplus heat for district heating systems is expected to enhance energy efficiency while lowering the environmental footprint of the sector.

The project is backed by a consortium of Norwegian companies including Telenor, Hafslund, HitecVision, and Analysys Mason Nordic. These companies have collectively invested 2.4 billion Norwegian kroner to bring Skygard to fruition. Scheduled to be operational in the first half of 2025, the data centre will provide colocation facilities for multiple tenants.

Skygard CEO Elise Lindeberg noted the pressing necessity of such developments, particularly against the backdrop of current geopolitical tensions. “With the investment in Skygard and other data centres, we will provide Norway with much-needed data centre capacity that prioritises national security, data safety, and sustainability. The current geopolitical situation has made the need for secure solutions more important, but there is also an urgent need to improve the environmental footprint of data centres. With Skygard, we address all these issues and set a new standard for the future,” she said.

Skygard has ambitious plans for further expansion, with two additional data centres slated for construction in the Oslo capital region. Once all three centres are developed, they are expected to offer a combined capacity of 40MW.