Edged expands Aurora campus with waterless AI data centre
Edged has commenced construction on its second data centre at the Edged Chicago campus in Aurora, Illinois, advancing the expansion of its high-density infrastructure for artificial intelligence workloads in the region. The new facility will add 72 megawatts of capacity and introduce waterless, closed-loop cooling systems targeting energy efficiency and reduced water use.
Campus expansion
The new data centre is being developed at 2835 Bilter Road in Aurora, alongside the company's first local facility, which opened earlier in 2025. This second project forms part of Edged's efforts to strengthen its North American network of AI-ready sites in several key markets, aiming to meet the demand from cloud, technology, and enterprise clients for infrastructure designed for high-density computing tasks.
Edged's expansion in Aurora supports the broader growth in digital and technological sectors across the Chicago area. The city is seeing increasing demand for infrastructure capable of managing intensive AI training and inference applications. The choice of Aurora, Illinois' second-largest city, positions the facility within a region identified as a high-tech centre.
Environmental savings
The new data centre will employ ThermalWorks closed-loop, waterless cooling technologies and aims to deliver liquid-to-chip cooling of more than 200 kilowatts per rack. The company estimates that the waterless design will allow the campus to save more than 277 million gallons of water annually compared to traditional data centre cooling methods.
Industry data suggests that conventional data centres can use millions of gallons of water per year for evaporative cooling. Edged is seeking to address environmental concerns by eliminating water consumption for cooling, aligning with broader pushes for sustainable development across the data centre industry.
Safety and standards
The second Aurora facility will also focus on safety, operational resilience, and resource protection, according to company leadership. The design and construction process adheres to operational and environmental standards that have been emphasised throughout Edged's network.
"Safety and performance are at the core of everything we do. From design through construction and operations, we hold ourselves and our partners to the highest standards of safety excellence. This new facility demonstrates our commitment to building ultra-efficient, resilient, and secure data centers that protect both people and the planet. We are proud to continue our partnership with the City of Aurora as we deliver world-class infrastructure that advances innovation, supports the local economy, and preserves critical natural resources," said Bryant Farland, President & Chief Executive Officer, Edged US.
Market rollout
The second Aurora facility is scheduled to be operational by the second quarter of 2027. Edged's overall North American platform includes additional facilities in Atlanta, Columbus, Council Bluffs, Dallas, Des Moines, Kansas City, and Phoenix, as the company targets scalable, energy- and water-efficient solutions to meet increasing AI infrastructure requirements.
