Work has begun to build the Springfield Data Center, which will house the state’s electronic records and data systems.
Gov. Deval Patrick joined Congressman Richard Neal, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and local officials to break ground on the state-of-the-art center.
The SDC will also provide critical backup for the Commonwealth’s existing primary data center. When complete, the $110 million facility will be a national model for green technology, according to a statement.
The 148,000-square-foot building is designed to minimize energy use through efficiency measures and other design features. It will be constructed with the latest technologies in energy efficient data center infrastructure, sustainable building design and consolidated computer technology.
"The Springfield Data Center is a project with a multitude of benefits," said Patrick. "In addition to securing critical data used by thousands of state workers, this facility will be a national model for environmentally-friendly data storage and an economic boost for the city of Springfield."
The new data center is being designed with a host of state-of-the-art efficient technologies, including fresh air cooling, EnergyStar servers and an advanced energy management system, which will make the new facility among the most energy efficient data centers in the country, according to a statement. The state’s Division of Capital Asset Management and Information Technology Division have also been working with Western Mass Electric Co. to maximize potential rebates available through the utility to lower front end costs, while enhancing energy efficiency at the new facility.
The facility will use cost-competitive energy sources and a number of sustainability features, including capture and re-use of rainwater, natural sunlight for staff areas and recycling of existing building materials in construction. Facility equipment will also be Energy Star Certified.
The facility is expected to create 70 full-time jobs, with as many as 200 construction jobs supported by the project over the course of the two-year construction phase. It will also be accessible by public transportation.
The SDC will be built at the site of the former Technical High School, which closed in 1986 after more than 80 years. Construction on the data center will begin immediately and is expected to be complete by May 2012.
