The former WW2 bomb shelter in Helsinki became the center of attention lately, since a data center located there is going to be contributing to the town’s heating system, powered by Finnish company Helsingin Energia, starting next month.
The system will recycle heat from the data center’s computers through a network of cold seawater pipes that will cool the equipment. Then, the warmer water will be sent to a pump, a heat exchanger, heating it even more, and then delivered into the town’s heating system.
This entire setup could supply 1% of the heating provided by Helsingin Energia. It’s not much, but if you take it in real numbers, there are a lot of Giga-Callories recycled, approximately enough to heat another 500 large houses, which is not negligible at all. Also, the entire plan will make the costs drop a bit for the consumers.
One more interesting thing is that this bomb shelter sheltering Academica Oy’s data center is located into a bedrock under Helsinki’s Uspenski Cathedral – adding this to the several other reasons for visiting this touristic spot.
Good stuff – particularly interested as I’ve been to Helsinki a few times, and was impressed with their eco credentials (as well as their extremely attractive girls). By the way, did you know those gold things on the top of that cathedral are not supposed to look like onions, but like flames? Anyway, well done to the Finns for coming up with stuff like this.