Phoenix has continued to scale from strength to strength, with a record second quarter of absorption surpassing 250 MW, outperforming global leader Northern Virginia. Proximity to an array of West Coast and Midwest markets, a lower cost of land and power than other major data center markets, and substantial long-distance fiber running through Phoenix on the way to these cities offers a compelling location for the largest data center workloads. Most new sites have been pre-leased long before completion, notably since the largest platforms launched artificial intelligence requirements at the beginning of the year.
As noted in an earlier blog post, A Phoenix Rises in the Desert As a Data Center Hub, hyperscale cloud services have taken to Phoenix quickly, with a mix of self-built large campuses and large leases to serve local and national requirements. Local utility Salt River Project has extended a warm welcome to all operators, with the area yet to run into dire power restrictions that have befallen many other global primary cities. Thanks to the hot desert climate, solar power could play a role in future expansions, whether directly powering buildings during daylight hours or serving to offset operations in-state. While the dry air can lead to an easy source of cooling during evenings, water usage in the desert for daytime cooling will be a concern for dense builds moving forward. As such, Phoenix and the greater Phoenix metro region could serve as a testbed for direct-to-chip or immersion cooling environments, as water usage effectiveness trends toward power usage effectiveness in driving overall operational efficiency.
A massive build-to-suit project in a scaling market like Phoenix requires a partner with proven value across the region, particularly in significant project completion. EdgeConneX has engaged in hundreds of megawatts of build-to-suit solutions in diverse cities across the globe, with a recent focus on hyperscale-ready projects in core cities. With flexible designs, expertise engineering high-density deployments, and the ability to pull from a fully global supply chain, EdgeConneX is an excellent partner for the largest deployments in the hottest markets.
EdgeConneX currently has the availability to custom build a data center less than 20 miles from Phoenix in Mesa, AZ, with:
- 50 acres of land available for build-to-suit
- Access to 57MVA substation
- Proximity to connectivity rich region
Find out more about EdgeConneX custom built solutions here: https://www.edgeconnex.com/data-centers/build-to-order/