Microsoft turns to gardens and native trees to soften data centre impact
Microsoft plans to use more gardens, native trees and ecosystem restoration to make its data centres fit into local landscapes and reduce their impact on nearby communities. The approach, described as “biomimicry”, comes as large facilities face growing opposition over noise, traffic, pollution, water use and pressure on electricity supplies.
In San Antonio, councillor Ric Galvan says his district has more than a dozen data centres, with around 20 expected if proposed projects go ahead. Microsoft drew criticism in 2022 after clearing more than 2,600 trees across 33 acres for a data centre; residents also raised concerns about zoning and tax incentives. Advocates say greener sites are welcome, but argue they do not address the scale of tree loss or rising emissions linked to AI’s energy demand.
- Microsoft wants data centres to blend into local landscapes.
- San Antonio district could grow to around 20 facilities.
- Residents say planting cannot undo wider environmental impacts.
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Data centres are vast facilities containing computer servers that store and process information for the internet, cloud services and artificial intelligence. As these essential hubs expand to support the digital economy, communities near proposed sites are increasingly objecting to environmental damage, noise, traffic, pollution and pressure on local water and electricity supplies.
Microsoft and other technology companies face mounting opposition to their data centre projects. The company previously faced criticism for clearing over 2,600 trees across 33 acres for a facility, sparking questions about whether local environmental measures can address the broader impacts of rapid data centre expansion.
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Originally published by The Verge as “If a data center is camouflaged in the woods, will anyone hate it?”.