Equinix OS3 Osaka: High-Density & Liquid-Cooled IBX Expansion
Status: Operational / Active Multi-Phase Capacity Expansion | Location: Keihanshin OBP Building, 2-2-82 Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, 540-0001, Japan
Project Overview
Equinix OS3 is a flagship 14-story International Business Exchange (IBX) data center strategically located within Osaka Business Park (OBP) in Chuo-ku, one of the Kansai region's premier commercial and technology hubs. Designed to meet the growing demand for high-performance digital infrastructure, the facility delivers more than 80,000 square feet (7,467 m²) of premium colocation space with capacity for up to 2,500 cabinets upon full buildout. OS3 is engineered with advanced base-isolation seismic technology, providing exceptional resilience against earthquakes and ensuring continuous operations for mission-critical enterprise and cloud environments. As a key interconnection hub in western Japan, the facility offers direct, ultra-low-latency cross-connects to Osaka's major network exchange points in Dojima, including JPIX, JPNAP, and BBIX, enabling seamless connectivity to leading telecommunications carriers, internet service providers, enterprises, and global cloud platforms. The data center is purpose-built to support high-density artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and advanced compute workloads through next-generation direct-to-chip (DTC) liquid cooling infrastructure, allowing customers to deploy power-intensive GPU clusters with improved thermal efficiency and performance. Operating entirely on 100% clean energy, OS3 also aligns with sustainability objectives while delivering high availability, robust physical security, scalable infrastructure, and carrier-neutral connectivity. Its strategic location, resilient design, and advanced cooling capabilities make Equinix OS3 a critical digital gateway for enterprises, hyperscale cloud providers, financial institutions, and content delivery networks expanding across the Kansai region and the broader Asia-Pacific market.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Equinix OS3 Osaka: High-Density & Liquid-Cooled IBX Expansion |
| Location | Keihanshin OBP Building, 2-2-82 Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, 540-0001, Japan |
| Status | Operational / Active Multi-Phase Capacity Expansion |
| Commissioning | Phase 1 Launch: Q4 2021 / Full Capacity Buildout & High-Density Liquid Expansion: 2024–2026 |
| Total IT Load | ~12 MW – 15 MW Total Critical IT Load across 2,500 total cabinets capacity |
| Total Capacity | ~18+ MW Gross Utility Supply across 80,375 sq ft (7,467 m²) total colocation whitespace |
| Tier Level | Tier III Equivalent / Concurrent Maintainability (ISO 14001, ISO 50001, LEED, FISC Certified) |
| Project Type | Purpose-Built High-Density Hyperscale, Cloud & AI-Ready Colocation Hub |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
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| City Name | Osaka |
| Population | ~2.7 Million (Osaka City) |
| Urban Agglomeration | ~19.3 Million (Kansai Metropolitan Area) |
| City GDP | Significant regional economic engine of Japan |
| Per Capita Income | High |
| City Tier | Tier 1/Emerging Hyperscale Hub (Complementary to Tokyo) |
| Key Strengths | Second-largest metropolitan economy, robust infrastructure, growing hyperscale cloud region status, lower seismic risk than parts of Tokyo. |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
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| Developer / Operator | Equinix |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) & Financial Information Systems Center (FISC Japan) |
| Construction Contractor | Keihanshin Building Co., Ltd. & Specialized Japanese Mission-Critical Contractors |
| MEP Engineering | Equinix Asia-Pacific Global Design & High-Density Thermal Engineering Teams |
| Network Connectivity | Direct, low-latency dark fiber ties to Dojima network core, direct access to Equinix Fabric, Equinix Internet Exchange, and cloud on-ramps to AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and OCI. |
| Power Infrastructure | Dual high-voltage sub-transmission utility interconnections supplied by KEPCO, high-efficiency static block-redundant static UPS systems (N+1), and gas turbine / diesel emergency backup generators with 48+ hours on-site fuel autonomy. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
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| Power Capacity | ~18 MW Gross Substation Utility Power Allocation |
| UPS Redundancy | Block Redundant / Static N+1 Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Configuration |
| Cooling System | High-efficiency air-cooled chillers, CRAH units in N+20% configuration, direct-to-chip (DTC) liquid cooling manifolds for high-density AI server deployment, and hot/cold aisle containment. |
| Connectivity | Carrier-neutral access with multi-path underground fiber entry vaults, direct cross-connects, and metro fiber links connecting OS1, OS2x, and OS3. |
| PUE Target | ~1.25 Annualized Design PUE |
| Energy Mix | 100% matched clean energy procurement covered via Japanese wind/solar Non-Fossil Certificates (NFCs) and regional I-RECs. |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
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| Announcement | November 2020 |
| Construction Start | Q4 2020 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Q4 2021 (Initial 900 Cabinets / 3,070 m²) |
| Full Buildout | 2024–2026 (Full 2,500 Cabinets / 80,000+ sq ft Expansion) |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
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| Total Investment | $55,000,000 USD initial investment phase + multi-phase building expansion capital |
| Funding | Equinix corporate capital expenditure (CapEx) allocation |