Google Announces Air-Cooling Technology for First Data Center Building

Botetourt County is sharing the following update provided by Google regarding its planned data center campus at the Botetourt Center at Greenfield.

Google has announced that the first building at its future data center campus in Botetourt County will utilize air-cooling technology. 

"While the exact cooling technology for the subsequent buildings two and three remains under active evaluation, Google is committed to our ongoing, close partnership with the Western Virginia Water Authority. Together, we will continue to focus on minimizing water usage and maintaining the highest levels of sustainability in the industry." 

The Western Virginia Water Authority   provided the following statement on their website in response to Google's announcement:

"Based on this updated information, the Western Virginia Water Authority anticipates that the project’s overall water demand will be lower than originally projected. We do not have updated demand figures at this time, but we will share updates as we find out.

The existing agreements previously posted on the Authority’s website remain in effect. The Authority remains committed to protecting existing customers by ensuring that development-related costs are covered by the developer and that reliable service and supply remains our top priority.

The Authority understands how important it is to protect our region’s water resources while supporting responsible growth. We are working closely to support the utility needs of this project while continuing to protect regional water supplies, promote a clean environment, and provide reliable water service for the customers we serve every day."

According to Google, this updated approach for the first facility is expected to reduce the site's overall water consumption and aligns with the company's environmental commitments outlined in its 2026 Environmental Report and 2026 Water Stewardship Portfolio.

Botetourt County appreciates Google's continued commitment to providing updates as the project progresses and will continue sharing significant project information with the community as it becomes available. Visit their project website at: botetourtcountydatacenter.com