Study finds data centers raise local temperatures up to 4°C in Phoenix

A study published in the ASME Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Buildings and Cities found that data centers can raise nearby ambient temperatures by as much as 4 degrees Celsius in Phoenix, Arizona. The research highlights waste heat emitted by data centers as an emerging contributor to urban heat island effects. Phoenix, already one of the hottest cities in the United States, faces compounding heat challenges as demand for data center infrastructure grows. The findings raise concerns about the long-term environmental and public health implications of siting large-scale data centers in already heat-stressed urban areas.