Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
If the 19th century was the century of the railroad, Compass Datacenters believes that the 21st century is that of the data center. These facilities have become our new economic hubs, impacting communities as significantly as global trade routes once did.
To manage growth responsibly, Compass adopts a “built to last” mentality. This perspective requires data centers to be “living, breathing” members of the areas they serve, offering high-quality “Class A” infrastructure through modular, sustainable construction.
“We build data center campuses that are designed to last for generations,” says Chris Crosby, Compass Datacenters CEO. “We use off-site manufacturing, eliminating waste along the way, and have sustainability built in from the get-go.” By doing things the right way today, Compass ensures these hubs remain vital assets for the future.
Based in Dallas, Texas, and founded in 2011, Compass has campuses across North America and Europe. Compass designs and constructs data centers for the world’s largest hyperscalers and cloud providers. By investing in sustainable designs, these campuses serve as a vital utility to the global economy and consumers for decades.
Through closely-coupled collaboration with supply chain partners, Compass ensures ongoing capacity and continuous improvement at every stage. This integrated approach allows Compass to meet the massive scaling requirements and infrastructure demands of AI, machine learning, and big data analytics.
At Compass’s Illinois project, the company is transforming a 273-acre site – the former headquarters of American retailer Sears. Compass chose this location for its proximity to Chicago, where there is critical digital infrastructure demand.
This brownfield site offers immense potential for a long-term, sustainable data center ecosystem. Demonstrating environmental responsibility, the company recycled 95% of existing structures rather than simply clearing the land.
While conventional data centers require two years for construction, Compass’s proprietary prefabricated methodology significantly accelerates redevelopment. This transition marks a sophisticated new chapter for the region, effectively diversifying the local tax base through modern technological innovation and rapid industrial evolution.
Compass focuses on SDG 9, to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.
Compass aims to build responsibly. Over 80% of components are manufactured off site to lower the environmental impact of construction. In addition, the company uses products with long lifespans and applies intelligent materials science.
“We have successfully reduced our cement content by using concrete.ai. This allows us to study raw materials and the strength needs, and have the same performance with less cement,” says Nancy Novak, Chief Innovation Officer Emeritus at Compass.
Since its founding, Compass rejected water-intensive cooling as unsustainable and disrespectful. Its approach to cooling includes air- and closed-looped systems which have zero impact on local water resources.
