Do data centers make nearby neighborhoods hotter?

Data centers can raise the temperature of nearby neighborhoods by 1-2 degrees on average, research shows.

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A recent study by Arizona State University found that waste heat from data centers in Phoenix, Arizona, warmed downwind areas by 0.7 to 0.9 degrees Celsius on average and by up to 2.2 degrees Celsius. 

A separate study by an international team of researchers found that data centers outside urban centers raised the surrounding area’s temperature by 2 degrees Celsius on average and, in some cases, by up to 9 degrees Celsius. 

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Data centers have drawn scrutiny in Colorado for their significant water and energy use. One data center typically uses between 30 and 60 megawatts of electricity, which is projected to rise as demand grows. One megawatt powers roughly 800 homes, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Colorado has 57 data centers, 45 of which are in the Denver area.

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Sources

• Colorado Data Centers Data Center Map
• Congressional Research Service Report Data centers and their energy consumption
• Grid Strategies
• Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Buildings and Cities Data Center Waste Heat
• Cornell University Data Heat Island Effect
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory United States Data Center Energy Usage Report: 2025 Update