Why we’ve been shortlisted for two Data Centre Review Excellence Awards

Our heat reuse initiative at MCR2 has earned us a spot in this category. Data centres are often criticised for generating large amounts of heat, but we have transformed this challenge into an opportunity.

Located just 20 metres from a planned housing development of 700–1,500 dwellings, MCR2 has been built with heat reuse capability integrated into its design. This means that excess heat produced by the data centre – and the colocated organisations within it – can be recycled to warm these new homes through a local heat network. Importantly, it demonstrates how data centre infrastructure can align with long-term sustainability goals and benefit the surrounding communities. By partnering with Manchester City Council and Muse (our regeneration partner), we’ve been able to embed transformational, forward-thinking design into the heart of this development.

What makes this project unique?

• Proactive design: integrating heat reuse into the initial construction avoids the immense complexity and cost of retrofitting later.
• Community impact: demonstrating that essential infrastructure can support Wythenshawe’s residents with potential sustainable heat solutions.
• Future-focused: showing how sustainability should be at the core of such construction projects.

MCR2 has also been nominated for its cutting-edge design, which balances sustainability, operational efficiency, and reliability to meet the growing demand for high-quality data centre facilities in Manchester.

What sets MCR2 apart?

• Environmental responsibility: from an embodied carbon assessment conducted at the design stage onwards, every decision has been made with a view to reducing environmental impact.
• Flood management: an attenuation tank mitigates against the potential impact of major rainfall events, helping protect the local area and reducing pressure on nearby wastewater systems.
• Renewable energy-focused: the facility is powered entirely by zero carbon 100% renewable electricity. Solar PV panels have been installed on the roof, while emergency generators are configured to run exclusively on renewable HVO biofuels.
• Heat reuse capability: by building heat reuse capabilities into the infrastructure, MCR2 ensures it is able to support a future local heat network – highlighting its commitment to long-term sustainable solutions.