Google has said that it will invest $9.5 billion in data centres in the US.
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet said in a blog post:
“Today we’re announcing plans to invest approximately $9.5 billion in our U.S. offices and data centres in 2022 . Along with these investments, we expect to create at least 12,000 new full-time Google jobs by the end of the year, and thousands more among our local suppliers, partners and communities.”
It might seem counterintuitive to step up our investment in physical offices even as we embrace more flexibility in how we work. Yet we believe it’s more important than ever to invest in our campuses and that doing so will make for better products, a greater quality of life for our employees, and stronger communities, pointed out Pichai.
US DC Buildouts
In Georgia, Google is opening its new Atlanta office this year and continuing to invest in its data centre in Douglas County. In Texas, Google is making progress on its new downtown Austin office, which is currently under construction, and continuing to invest in the Midlothian data centre. Additionally, Google is continuing to invest in data centres in Tennessee, Virginia and Oklahoma.
Similarly, in the West region, in California, Google will continue to invest in its offices and support affordable housing initiatives in the Bay Area as part of its $1 billion housing commitment. “Elsewhere on the West Coast, we’ve opened a new office in downtown Portland, and we’re continuing to invest in our data centre in The Dalles. We’re also investing in our Kirkland and Seattle campuses in Washington State. In Nevada, our data centre in Storey County is now operational, with plans to expand it, and we’re investing more in our Henderson facility,” said Pichai.
In the Midwest region, Google is continuing to invest in its data centres in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and in Nebraska. In the East Region, it will invest in its long-term office presence in New York, make improvements to our Cambridge and Pittsburgh campuses and in the Central Region will continue to build out its campus in Boulder, Colorado.
New Green Building Approach
At the same time, as Google works towards running its offices and data centres on carbon-free energy 24/7 by 2030, it is aiming to set new standards for green building design. “This includes pursuing certification through the International Living Future Institute for buildings like our new office in Sunnyvale, California,” noted Pichai.
Google, alongside major cloud competitors Amazon, Microsoft and IBM, have the broadest global data centre footprints among the world’s top cloud and internet service providers, according to Synergy Research Group.
Our contribution to communities starts with the jobs we create, both directly and indirectly. According to new research published by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute today, creating one job at a high-technology firm generates over four more jobs in the local economy, said Pichai.
