Skygard data centre, Norway

Green gigabytes – the data centre of the future in the heart of Oslo

About

Challenge

Establishing a modern, low-impact, high-security data centre on a former industrial site in Oslo.

Solution

Creating a state-of-the-art data centre that doubles as a green space in the heart of the Norwegian capital. Skygard is powered by 100% renewable, Norwegian hydropower and is integrating its surplus energy into the district heating system, supplying 12,000 Oslo homes. This approach Skygard much more sustainable than most other data centres.

Value

Through a single point of access, we provided our client with a high degree of local knowledge combined with a full range of services to help it position itself as Norway’s leading Norwegian-owned data center operator.

Specifications

Capacity

A 50,000 m² data centre

Location

Oslo

Period

2024–2025

Country

Norway

Partners

Skygard, A-lab

Services

Site selection and due diligence; knowledge of local conditions and relations; design; underground supply; MEP engineering; civil and structural work; architecture; landscape architecture; infrastructure; renewable energy; and use of excess heat.

National security, data safety and environmental responsibility

For Skygard, it was essential to create a data centre that could both address national security, data safety and sustainability, and bolster Norway's position in artificial intelligence (AI). The Skygard data centre is one of the most energy-efficient data centres in Norway. It is using renewable energy sources, and surplus energy from its servers is integrated into the city's district heating system.

Skygard is owned by the Norwegian companies Telenor, Hafslund, HitecVision and Analysys Mason Nordic, which decided to invest NOK 2.4 billion in the project. The Skygard data centre provides colocation facilities for multiple tenants, and it has been operational since 2025.

Skygard Data Centre in Oslo, Norway / © Illustration: A-lab.

With the investment in Skygard and other data centres, we are providing Norway with a much-needed data centre capacity that prioritises national security, data safety and sustainability. The current geopolitical situation has made the need for secure solutions more important, but there is also an urgent need to improve the environmental footprint of data centres. With Skygard, we address all these issues and set a new standard for the future.

Elise Lindeberg , CEO, Skygard

Skygard Data Centre in Oslo, Norway / © Illustration: A-lab.

In addition to the first centre, Skygard has built two more data centres in the capital region with a combined capacity of more than 35 MW.

The future of data centre design

Skygard contracted COWI to deliver a complete solution due to our broad experience in data centre design, sustainable energy, engineering solutions and architecture. The Norwegian company A-lab was responsible for the architectural design of the centre, and Arkitema – part of COWI – also contributed to the architectural solutions.

With our experience from the Nordic markets, we could ensure Skygard that its new data centre would comply with all local legislation and relevant regulations, and thereby de-risking the project from the initial phases to hand-over.

From industrial brownfield to green public space

Located centrally in Hovinbyen in Oslo, Skygard took an innovative approach by transforming an industrial brownfield area into a green public space for the citizens of the Norwegian capital.

By choosing this location, the site itself has had minimal impact on existing biodiversity and it contributes to urban greening.

Reducing power requirements by 70 percent

Moving from an old data centre to a modern one like Skygard can reduce power requirements by between 50 and 70%. Utilising surplus heat for district heating is also helping energy efficiency and bringing down the environmental impact of data centres.

However, while data centre operators have made significant strides towards more sustainable solutions – such as efficiency improvements – European regulations are demanding more. At COWI, we specialise in understanding and translating these regulations into actionable solutions.

We aim to combine deep environmental impact knowledge with engineering innovation to ensure our customers achieve the best available solutions for the communities of tomorrow, as in the case with Skygard.

Our focus is on designing future-proof and more sustainable solutions that consider the environmental, social and governance aspects of an inclusive digital future. Our dedication to sustainability extends upstream to greener power provision, including the design of wind farms, solar solutions and power-to-X renewables, and how these technologies can power the data centres of the future.

In a time when data centres are facing increased scrutiny due to energy consumption and land use, Skygard has been a visionary project that pointed the way to the future way of creating data centres. At COWI, we are excited to have formed an integral part of Skygard's project because it allowed us to apply our capacities to fulfil the wishes and needs of our client.

Rasmus Brandt, Market Director in COWI.

Translating complex requirements into physical structures

Data centre delivery involves several stages, including planning and permitting; site selection and due diligence; design and architecture; and construction and commissioning. Each stage requires careful project management and consultancy to ensure safe, quality and timely data centre deployment in this fast-paced sector.

At COWI, we are experienced in translating the many demands and requirements for modern digital infrastructure into a fully powered data centre. In the case of Skygard, the location of the data centre represented a series of challenges since it is right between a city street and a light rail track.

As the Skygard data centre has demonstrated, we cover all aspects of a project, from site selection and due diligence to design and construction project management, and we offer full-service consultancy on construction, operations, decommissioning and repurposing of buildings, and digital infrastructure.