The new site is named PA10 and becomes the 10th data centre that the firm has opened in the city in the last 20 years.
Equinix says multiple sustainability initiatives are planned for the new facility including a heat recovery project to recover energy from customer equipment and transfer it to the urban heating network, and in turn, heat the local community swimming pool.
It adds that the rooftop of the site will be home to a greenhouse where fruit and vegetables will be grown. Alongside that will be a hydroponic system which aims to reduce water consumption and the garden will help to retain rainwater to reduce the amount directed to the sewer.
Régis Castagné, managing director for France at Equinix, explains: “For a long time, the digital revolution has been seen as the cause of change in society.
“Its importance during the pandemic is an illustration of this: not only did it allow us to continue to work, learn, or be entertained, but it was also essential for economic recovery.
“At Equinix, we’re working to support this shift, spearheading innovations to address the environmental impact of digital. Indeed, it has become a societal issue that requires, among other things, increased dialogue between industry and local authorities to hasten progress in this area.”
The development of PA10, Equinix says, is part of its ongoing commitment to the French market, supporting the growth of the local digital economy and digital transformation strategies.
This is in response to the impact left by the Covid-19 pandemic which has forced the French economy into “digital overdrive” according to the firm’s latest annual market study (GXI Vol. 5).
The GXI predicts that digital acceleration will be key in fuelling growth in interconnection bandwidth and Paris ill be the fastest growing core metro in Europe and an important ecosystem for the transport, energy and utilities sectors.
Supporting this, and at an initial build cost of $163m, the company says PA10 will add to that total investment from Equinix into France’s digital infrastructure of over $1bn.
Charles Meyers, president and CEO at Equinix added: “In support of the Choose France initiative, today’s investment and expansion serves to bolster the country’s digital infrastructure capabilities, providing local and multi-national corporations with a foundational source of differentiation and the global platform needed to thrive in today’s digital economy.
“Equinix is connecting digital leaders, enabling them to simplify operations, improve customer experience and accelerate the launch of new products and services.”
