MESA, AZ — From sending text messages and streaming videos to checking bank accounts, much of what we do online relies on physical infrastructure most people never get to see.
As data centers continue to expand across Arizona, we went inside NTT Data's campus in Mesa to see how these massive facilities operate and what the company is doing to address concerns about water and electricity consumption.
Keeping servers cool while conserving water
One of the biggest challenges facing data centers, particularly in Arizona's desert climate, is keeping thousands of servers from overheating.
While some data centers rely on water-intensive evaporative cooling systems, NTT says its facilities use a closed-loop cooling system designed to significantly reduce ongoing water consumption.
"Inside here is a bit of water that cools that air," said Bruno Berti, NTT's Chief Technology Officer. "It's the same air, a closed-loop system, and that water recirculates over the life of the building."
According to NTT, each building requires approximately 50,000 gallons of water to initially fill its cooling system.
That's roughly the equivalent of three backyard swimming pools.
NTT says the approach allows the company to operate more efficiently in a region where water conservation remains a significant concern.
"We made that commitment to move to closed loop in everything we do," said Steve Lim, NTT's Senior Vice President of Marketing.
Lim estimated that just over half of data centers now use closed-loop systems, a sign of what he described as a broader industry shift toward more water-efficient cooling technologies.
The initial fill does not necessarily represent a building's total lifetime water consumption, as water is also needed for general office use.
Powering the digital world
Beyond cooling, data centers also require substantial amounts of electricity to operate.
Inside NTT's facilities, rows of servers process and transmit digital information for customers and businesses.
"Texting, accessing their bank information, their requests come in and out of this room," Berti explained.
Once fully completed, NTT says its Mesa campus will have a power capacity exceeding 200 megawatts, although that does not mean the campus will continuously consume that amount of electricity.
The facility receives electricity from the Salt River Project (SRP) grid, and NTT says it paid for the infrastructure needed to connect the campus to the utility's electrical system.
The expansion comes as Arizona utilities prepare for increasing electricity demand, driven in part by data centers and other large industrial customers.
With more facilities being developed across the Valley, questions remain about how utilities will accommodate that growth and what it could mean for the broader electrical grid.
Lim acknowledged the industry's growing energy needs but say those challenges are also encouraging technological improvements.
"It's driving innovation," Lim said. "The need for this is pushing us and power companies and others to partner together to find new solutions."
Opening the doors amid growing scrutiny
Data centers have become an increasingly contentious issue across Arizona, with concerns about their electricity demands, water consumption and the incentives offered to attract new developments.
NTT says part of its approach to addressing those concerns involves giving people a chance to see its operations firsthand.
The company allows members of the media and public to request tours of its facilities.
"We've had in Arizona people here who say they have concerns, and we've reached out and said let's talk, and we'll try and answer some of those questions," Lim said.
Berti echoed that message, saying transparency is important as the industry continues to expand.
"We want to have that conversation. We want people to know what's going on inside. That's the most important thing we can do," Berti said.
More construction ahead in Mesa
NTT's Mesa campus is still under development.
The company says construction will continue for at least another two years as it works toward completing all seven data centers planned for the property.
