Data center becomes one of the first in the nation to receive funding for unexpected reason: 'It is unclear how [it] … will impact others'

Kansas City is getting a new artificial intelligence data center, and developers are working hard to minimize its environmental impact, according to KCUR.

Hosting company Patmos is spending $1 billion to retrofit a 400,000-square-foot building that once housed a newspaper printing press. To help with the update, Patmos has qualified for a $100 million commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy loan, contingent on cooling system upgrades that will lower energy use. It's the largest loan of its kind in the state and among the first in the country for a data center.

"With this loan, Patmos is able to continue to deliver on our speed to market promise for our clients while creating an AI Campus that serves as the technology hub for one of the

fastest expanding regions in the industry," said Patmos CEO John Johnson. "It allowed us to build fast while maintaining long-term sustainability, profitability, and ownership."

AI use includes a significant environmental footprint due to its energy use. Coal and gas remain major sources of energy for the grid, generating pollution in the process. These sources exacerbate a range of destructive weather patterns and incur the property costs that follow.

Making AI data centers more energy-efficient in their cooling is one way to mitigate these consequences. Technology improvements could lower AI energy demands further. In the meantime, giants such as Meta, Google, and Microsoft have made investments in nuclear power to keep data centers humming with a smaller environmental impact.

TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight

💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands

Not all community members are convinced that the new Patmos AI data center will be great for the surrounding area.

"It is unclear how its energy and water needs will impact others who are connected to the downtown district energy system," said Ashley Sadowski from the Show Me PACE Clean Energy and Development Board, per KCUR.

"I am glad to see the KC Star building utilized, but the Crossroads is an important neighborhood for our city, and we need to make sure surrounding residents and businesses are not harmed by this development."

How concerned are you about rising energy costs?

I can hardly afford my bills now 😮‍💨

It's a little worrisome 😥

Not much 😕

Not at all 😎

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.