Verne Helsinki Vantaa Data Center: 10MW Sustainable AI & Cloud Hub Finland
Status: Fully Operational Enterprise, Cloud & AI Campus | Location: Verne Mittalinja 1 01260 Vantaa Finland
Project Overview
Verne Helsinki Vantaa (originally developed as The Air by Ficolo) is a flagship 10 MW ultra-sustainable data center strategically located in Vantaa, Finland, adjacent to Helsinki Airport, providing a highly connected and energy-efficient digital infrastructure platform for enterprises, hyperscale cloud providers, artificial intelligence workloads, and high-performance computing (HPC) applications. Now operating under the Verne brand, which is backed by global private equity firm Ardian, the facility has been purpose-built to combine high operational resilience with industry-leading sustainability standards. Engineered with an ultra-low Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) target, the data center is powered entirely by 100% renewable electricity sourced from wind and solar energy, significantly reducing its carbon footprint while supporting customers' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives. The facility is designed to accommodate high-density AI and GPU-based computing environments through advanced cooling technologies and scalable power infrastructure, with flexibility to support evolving enterprise and hyperscale requirements. A defining feature of the campus is its innovative waste heat recovery system, which captures excess thermal energy generated by IT equipment and redirects it into the local municipal district heating network, supplying sustainable heat to nearby homes and businesses while improving overall energy efficiency. The campus also incorporates redundant power systems, resilient cooling architecture, advanced fire detection and suppression technologies, intelligent building management systems, and multi-layer physical security with 24/7 monitoring to ensure continuous availability for mission-critical workloads. Strategically positioned within the Helsinki metropolitan region, the facility benefits from excellent domestic and international network connectivity, enabling low-latency access to Nordic and European markets. By combining renewable energy, heat reuse, AI-ready infrastructure, scalable capacity, and resilient carrier-neutral connectivity, Verne Helsinki Vantaa represents one of Finland's most advanced sustainable data centers and supports the growing demand for environmentally responsible digital infrastructure across the Nordic region.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Verne Helsinki Vantaa Data Center: 10MW Sustainable AI & Cloud Hub Finland |
| Location | Verne Mittalinja 1 01260 Vantaa Finland |
| Status | Fully Operational Enterprise, Cloud & AI Campus |
| Commissioning | Operational (Acquired via Ficolo transaction 2022 / Expanded 2023–2024) |
| Total IT Load | 10.0 MW Critical IT Power Capacity Allocation |
| Total Capacity | ~8,000 m² (~86,000 sq ft) gross facility building footprint |
| Tier Level | Tier III Equivalent Concurrently Maintainable / ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO 14001, ISO 9001 Certified |
| Project Type | Purpose-Built Sustainable Colocation, High-Density AI Training & Enterprise Cloud Hub |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
|---|
| City Name | Helsinki |
| Population | 690,000 |
| Urban Agglomeration | ~1.6 million (Helsinki Metropolitan Area) |
| City GDP | ~€100 billion (estimated metropolitan economy) |
| Per Capita Income | ~€55,000 |
| City Tier | Tier 1 – Nordic Technology, Innovation & Business Hub |
| Key Strengths | Capital of Finland; leading technology and startup ecosystem; strong ICT and software industries; advanced digital infrastructure; highly skilled workforce; world-class education and research institutions; renewable energy leadership; excellent international connectivity; growing hyperscale data center market; business-friendly environment and high quality of life. |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | Verne Digital |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Caruna Utility Grid Network & Vantaan Energia (District Heat Integration Partner) |
| Construction Contractor | Specialized Nordic Mission-Critical EPC & General Engineering Contractors |
| MEP Engineering | Verne In-House Design Infrastructure Teams & Nordic Engineering Consultants |
| Network Connectivity | Ultra-dense carrier-neutral environment, dual path-diverse subterranean fiber entrance vaults, dedicated Meet-Me-Rooms (MMRs), direct interconnects to FICIX (Finnish Internet Exchange), major Nordic telecoms (Telia, Elisa, DNA), and subsea routes to Central Europe and Asia via C-Lion1. |
| Power Infrastructure | Dual high-voltage utility grid feeds, static 2N / N+1 uninterruptible power supply (UPS) modules, automated switchgear (ATS), and multi-megawatt N+1 standby emergency diesel generator arrays with biofuel/HVO compatibility. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Power Capacity | ~12.0 MVA Total Utility Grid Connection Allocation |
| UPS Redundancy | 2N / N+1 Static UPS Architecture |
| Cooling System | High-efficiency free-cooling economizers, climate-optimized free-air cooling, Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling (DLC) readiness for high-density AI racks, and heat recovery infrastructure transferring waste heat to Vantaa's district heating network. |
| Connectivity | High-speed optical dark fiber backbones linking Vantaa directly to downtown Helsinki carrier exchanges, regional Nordic hubs, and Baltic subsea fiber landfalls. |
| PUE Target | < 1.15 Annualized Operational Design PUE |
| Energy Mix | 100% Certified Green Renewable Energy (wind and solar) paired with district heat reuse. |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Announcement | 2019 (Ficolo) / Acquired & Rebranded 2022 |
| Construction Start | 2019–2020 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Operational (Late 2020) |
| Full Buildout | Fully Operational Active Campus |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Total Investment | Estimated €50,000,000 EUR to €80,000,000 EUR Total Capital Investment |
| Funding | Infrastructure Private Equity Investment (Ardian / Verne Global) |