Source: Fox News
Summary
Compass Datacenters CEO Chris Crosby discussed the company’s efforts to integrate with local communities where it builds data centers. In Red Oak, Texas, the company donated $15 million to build an animal shelter and partnered with a technical college to create a training facility. Crosby emphasized the importance of community investment and job creation, noting the company’s water-free cooling system and efforts to reduce noise and light pollution. The company has also contributed to local infrastructure and power grid improvements.
Our Reading
As expected, the matter has reached another stage.
Crosby asks about fire trucks and schools in a town of 20,000.
He donates money for an animal shelter and a training center.
He says data centers create jobs, not just for tech but for construction and trades.
Compass avoids water use, but still needs it for bathrooms.
Author: Evan Null
Compass Datacenters and Community Integration
Compass Datacenters is working to integrate into local communities where it builds data centers. The company’s CEO, Chris Crosby, emphasized the importance of community investment and job creation. In Red Oak, Texas, Compass donated $15 million to build an animal shelter after the SPCA ended its contract in the town. The company also partnered with Texas State Technical College to create a training facility for skilled trades and technical careers.
Focus on Local Needs and Infrastructure
Crosby highlighted the need for data centers to work with local communities to identify and address their needs. He proposed that communities should ask for things like fire trucks, schools, and baseball fields. Compass has taken steps to reduce its impact on local resources, including using a water-free cooling system and avoiding light and noise pollution. The company also donated land to a transmission provider to route power lines without using eminent domain.
Training and Job Creation
Compass has partnered with Texas State Technical College to expand its Mechanical, Electrical and IT Data Center Pathway program. The 12-week course is designed to help people enter skilled trades and technical careers that data centers rely on. Crosby said the program is open to people without prior qualifications and prepares them for careers across the industry. He also emphasized the importance of blue-collar jobs and criticized the previous focus on four-year degrees.
Environmental and Resource Management
Crosby said Compass has not used water to cool its data centers since the company began operating, a choice he said is personal and practical. He grew up in North Texas, where he knows water is a precious resource. At the Red Oak facility, water is used only for bathrooms, and the company uses a hybrid cooling system that can operate with air or liquid cooling. Crosby also discussed the importance of power grid improvements and the company’s role in contributing to infrastructure upgrades.
Community and Industry Impact
Compass’s efforts in Red Oak have created jobs for about 900 people on site, including 600 for Compass and 300 for Schneider Electric. The company has also worked with thousands of construction workers over the past five years. Crosby emphasized the importance of being a quiet neighbor and taking care of local resources. The company’s actions reflect a broader debate about the impact of data centers on local infrastructure and the environment.
