We believe the only way to deliver lasting value is by delivering sustainable outcomes in a way that benefits every community we operate in.

That is why we are committed to a responsible and caring approach to development, playing our part in delivering a shared and prosperous future. Environmental sustainability at CloudHQ is grounded in engineering rigor and operational excellence, focusing on measurable outcomes across the full facility lifecycle.

Cooling Data Centers Responsibly

Every data center must solve the same fundamental challenge: removing the heat generated by computing at scale. How that heat is rejected to the environment is one of the most consequential design decisions a developer makes - for energy efficiency, for water consumption, and for the communities where these facilities operate. There are two broad approaches, and hybrid systems that combine attributes of both.

(1) Wet systems use evaporative cooling: water absorbs heat and is released into the atmosphere, delivering high efficiency, particularly in warm climates, but at the cost of water consumption.

(2) Dry systems rely entirely on air-cooled HVAC equipment, rejecting heat without consuming water at all, though typically with a larger land and energy footprint.

(3) Hybrid systems that dynamically adjusting cooling modes based on seasonal conditions and local environmental constraints.

Neither approach is universally superior. The right answer depends on the climate, the available infrastructure, and the resources most worth protecting in each location. CloudHQ designs to that reality, deploying dry systems where the environment allows, and using reclaimed or non-potable water sources where possible when evaporative cooling is the better trade-off for the community and the grid.

Water is Precious

Water Stewardship

CloudHQ is proud of our innovative cooling approaches that save millions of gallons of water annually. The hybrid heat rejection cooling architecture deployed at facilities today is reflective of this approach which combines the best attributes of air-cooled and water-cooled systems to maximize both energy efficiency and water preservation.

By dynamically adjusting cooling modes based on seasonal conditions and local environmental constraints, CloudHQ facilities operates at low-to-no water consumptive cooling when ambient conditions allow, transitioning to water consumptive methods only when necessary. This flexibility delivers exceptional PUE and WUE performance across a wide operating range.

Reclaimed Water Use

In Ashburn, Virginia, our facilities that require the use of evaporative water for heat rejection will be served by grey water, a source of wastewater that is lightly treated and not fit for human consumption.

In Milan, Italy, our campus will use non-potable ground water and discharge excess to irrigation channels that serve nearby farmers’ fields, increasing the supply of water to sensitive land uses that would not have it otherwise while also reducing pressure on potable aquifers and overall energy consumption.

Steps to Carbon Neutrality

First Steps to Carbon Neutral in Paris

We are proud that our CDG campus outside of Paris is housed in France, where in 2025, the volume of low-carbon (nuclear and renewable) electricity generated reached an all-time high of 521.1 TWh. This represents 95.2% of the electricity generated in mainland France, demonstrating that our customers can grow responsibly at hyperscale.

Cleaner Backup Power and Emissions Controls

Where permitted globally, CloudHQ uses diesel-equivalent, low-carbon Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel and advanced after-treatment systems to reduce emissions of our back-up generators.

We are also actively exploring utility-scale batteries as a strategic alternative to diesel backup generators – they deliver greater reliability, lower emissions, and stronger support for long-term resilience and sustainability goals.

 

Financing a Sustainable Future

CloudHQ’s Green Finance Framework formalizes our commitment to ensuring that the capital we raise directly supports the development and operation of sustainable data center infrastructure. Through Green Finance Instruments – including green bonds, loans, and asset-backed securities – proceeds are allocated exclusively to projects that meet rigorous environmental eligibility criteria.

Carbon Reduction in Concrete Procurement

Concrete production and transportation represent a large source of embodied carbon in construction projects. CloudHQ consistently commissions carbon reduction studies for concrete applications – analyzing mix designs, cement substitutes, and local supply chains early in the design process. Through common analysis in every project, CloudHQ can make material decisions that reduce the carbon footprint of our buildings without compromising structural performance.

Returning Energy to the Community

CloudHQ is proud to convert waste heat generated by computing at scale into a civic and environmental asset.

At FRA3, the facility is designed to export waste heat as part of the broader Infraserv Höchst and Mainova initiative to integrate unavoidable industrial waste heat into Frankfurt's district heating network, contributing to the decarbonization of the city's heating supply.

At FRA7, integrated waste heat recovery infrastructure, including heat exchange units, a heat transfer station, and connections to an energy center equipped with heat pumps, enables the upgrade and export of thermal energy to the district heating network once demand thresholds are met.

Improving Local Biodiversity

We believe in the importance of natural ecosystems and are proud to target net biodiversity gain on all of our new campuses, making use of locally-attuned planting and landscaping strategies as well as vertical planting.

Planting a Forest

At our CDG campus in France, we have been able to connect the nearby Bois des Folies into the Bois de la Tombe by planting over 1,000 new trees, creating a larger and better habitat for the animals that live there.

Meadow Planting Strategies

Our developments incorporate the deliberate use of native grasses, wildflowers, and low-maintenance perennials—instead of traditional turf grass—to landscape large portions of a site. It’s a land-use strategy and an environmental performance tool, not just an aesthetic choice.

Acoustic Design and Community Integration

Facilities will undergo rigorous acoustic modeling with mitigation measures to minimize community impact. We deploy acoustic attenuation strategies, adding sound-absorbing materials and anti-vibration mounts to equipment, purchasing low-noise fans, and landscaping elements like ridge creation which absorbs and diffuses noise.

Sustainable Operational Excellence

Our commitment to responsible operations includes managing environmental impact and energy use across our data center portfolio. CloudHQ operates Environmental and Energy Management Systems, supporting sustainable operations and continual improvement.

Leveraging Native Materials

CloudHQ builds at global scale but never without local character. The use of native wood in our facilities is a quiet expression of respect for place. This approach honors regional craftsmanship, reduces the environmental footprint associated with longdistance material transport, and brings warmth to highly engineered environments. Even at hyperscale, our buildings reflect a simple truth: infrastructure is strongest when it belongs where it is built.