Data Centers

Data centers make cloud computing possible, and tomaximize the speed of data transfer, data centers need to move closer to end users. Post-COVID, some cities have started to repurpose abandoned office buildings into data centers orcolocation centers(facilities owned by companies that rent out the space and equipment to host data centers). Planners should not let the invisibility of these land uses prevent their integration into our existing urban ecosystems. For example, waste heat from data centers can be used to generate energy for district heating systems. "Data Centers Evolved: A Primer for Planners" from the July 2021 issue ofPlanningdiscusses the rapid growth of data centers nationwide and what it means for communities today and into the future. The zoning implications of data centers are explored in depth in "Zoning for Data Centers and Cryptocurrency Mining," the June 2022 issue ofZoning Practice.