Facebook to build data center in Singapore

Facebook will build its first custom data center in Asia in Singapore spending more than US$1 billion in the process.

The super squarish building will feature translucent cladding “made of a perforated lightweight material that allows airflow and provides glimpses of the state-of-the-art mechanical equipment inside,” and its front is bedecked with rows of plants.

Why Singapore? “We selected Singapore for a number of reasons, including robust infrastructure and access to fiber, a talented local workforce, and a great set of community partners,” Facebook said in a blog post.

“Singapore has established policies that foster a business-friendly environment, including measures that support the enforcement of contracts and increase the ease of construction permitting.”

Facebook has 14 data centers to date. The 15th one in Singapore will be powered by renewable energy which is in keeping with the company’s pledge to be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2020.

“Our data centers play a foundational role in ensuring our infrastructure is reliable, efficient, and can scale to meet the future needs of our community,” Facebook engineering boss Jay Parikh wrote in a post.