Digital Realty BRU3 Brussels: Carrier-Neutral Capital Interconnection Hub
Status: Operational / Active Multi-Tenant Modernization & Density Upgrades | Location: Wezembeekstraat 2, 1930 Zaventem, Greater Brussels Metropolitan Area, Belgium
Project Overview
Digital Realty’s BRU3 is a carrier-neutral data center facility strategically located within Digital Realty’s Brussels Campus in Zaventem, Belgium, one of the country’s most important business and connectivity hubs. Spanning approximately 21,495 square feet (1,997 m²), the facility provides 1.3 MW of critical IT capacity across 1,000 m² of dedicated colocation whitespace, supporting enterprise applications, cloud environments, digital services, and mission-critical workloads. Positioned less than 10 minutes from Brussels Airport and in close proximity to major European Union institutions, BRU3 offers an ideal location for organizations requiring secure, highly connected infrastructure with access to European markets. The facility is part of Digital Realty’s interconnected Brussels campus ecosystem, with low-latency dark-fiber links connecting BRU3 to nearby BRU1, BRU3, and BRU4 facilities, enabling efficient workload distribution, enhanced resilience, and seamless cross-campus connectivity. As a key digital gateway in Belgium, BRU3 provides direct cloud on-ramps to leading platforms, including AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, allowing customers to establish secure hybrid and multi-cloud architectures. The facility also offers direct access to BNIX (Belgian National Internet Exchange) and interconnection capabilities with more than 100 network carriers, internet service providers, and telecommunications partners. Designed with reliable power infrastructure, advanced security systems, and scalable colocation capabilities, BRU3 supports a wide range of applications including cloud computing, financial services, digital media, artificial intelligence (AI), and enterprise IT operations. With its strategic European location, extensive connectivity ecosystem, and carrier-neutral design, Digital Realty BRU3 serves as a vital interconnection hub for businesses seeking high-performance, resilient, and future-ready digital infrastructure across Belgium and the broader European region.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Digital Realty BRU3 Brussels: Carrier-Neutral Capital Interconnection Hub |
| Location | Wezembeekstraat 2, 1930 Zaventem, Greater Brussels Metropolitan Area, Belgium |
| Status | Operational / Active Multi-Tenant Modernization & Density Upgrades |
| Commissioning | Initial Phase Go-Live: Operational / Active High-Density Modernization |
| Total IT Load | 1.3 MW Critical IT Capacity (~22 MW Total Brussels Campus Capacity) |
| Total Capacity | ~1.8 MW Gross Substation Allocation across 21,495 sq ft (1,997 m²) gross building area / 1,000 m² whitespace |
| Tier Level | Tier III Equivalent / Concurrent Maintainability (ISO 14001, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, SOC 2 Certified) |
| Project Type | Purpose-Built Cloud Interconnection, Enterprise Colocation & Financial Gateway Node |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
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| City Name | Brussels |
| Population | ~190,000 (Brussels City) |
| Urban Agglomeration | ~2.1 million (Brussels Metropolitan Area) |
| City GDP | ~€90 billion (Brussels-Capital Region) |
| Per Capita Income | ~€55,000 |
| City Tier | Tier 1 – European Political, Financial & Business Hub |
| Key Strengths | Capital of Belgium and the European Union; headquarters of major EU institutions and international organizations; strong financial services sector; advanced telecommunications infrastructure; growing data center market; strategic location in Western Europe; excellent rail, road, and air connectivity; multilingual skilled workforce; strong presence of technology, consulting, and professional services companies. |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
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| Developer / Operator | Digital Realty |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Fluvius / Elia Electrical Grid Utilities & BNIX (Belgian National Internet Exchange) |
| Construction Contractor | Specialized European Data Center EPC & Mission-Critical Contractors |
| MEP Engineering | Digital Realty Global Design & High-Density Thermal Engineering Teams |
| Network Connectivity | Sub-millisecond dark-fiber interconnects across the Brussels campus (BRU1–BRU4); carrier-neutral access to 100+ ISPs, BNIX, AMS-IX, LINX, DE-CIX, and direct hyperscale cloud on-ramps. |
| Power Infrastructure | Dual high-voltage 11kV grid feeds, N+1 parallel redundant UPS architecture, and 3 standby emergency diesel generators in N+1 redundancy with 24+ hours on-site fuel autonomy. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
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| Power Capacity | 1.3 MW Critical IT Power Capacity / 11kV Substation Feed |
| UPS Redundancy | N+1 Parallel Redundant UPS Topology |
| Cooling System | Energy-efficient N+1 air-cooled chillers with variable frequency drives, cold-aisle containment, free-cooling economization, and support for high-density cabinet configurations. |
| Connectivity | Multi-path fiber entry vaults, dual Meet-Me-Rooms (MMRs), low-latency cross-connects, and global cloud orchestration via ServiceFabric™. |
| PUE Target | < 1.28 Annualized Operational Design PUE |
| Energy Mix | 100% matched clean renewable energy procurement supported by European Guarantees of Origin (GoO). |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
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| Announcement | Operational Facility (Acquired via Interxion / Continuous Upgrades) |
| Construction Start | Completed / Active Modernization |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Operational |
| Full Buildout | Operational / Phased Density and Cooling Upgrades Active |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
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| Total Investment | Estimated €20,000,000 EUR to €35,000,000 EUR |
| Funding | Digital Realty corporate capital expenditure (CapEx) allocation |