Nexus Datacenter at Green energy park
To accelerate the energy transition, cooperation between different stakeholders is badly needed. A good example of a new location contributing to energy transition is the Green Energy Park in Zellik. Ingenium played a crucial role in the development of the data center up close.
Client
Ghelamco
Architect
Robust architecture
Location
Green Energy Park Zellik
Photos
Capture Photography
Timing
2021- completed June 2024
Budget
EUR 55 mio, excluding VAT
Epeil
E00
Nexus Datacenter at Green energy park
Introduction
The Nexus Data Center at the Green Energy Park in Zellik is Belgium’s first fully sustainable data center. It combines 7.2 MW of IT power with an E-level rating of E00 and runs on 100% green energy, some of which is generated locally. Waste heat is recovered, rainwater is used for cooling, and the building is designed with circularity in mind. Ingenium handled the entire design, construction supervision, and commissioning of the technical systems. The project won the Datacloud Award 2025 for “Best Data Center Sustainability Project of the Year.”
Ingenium's role in this project
Data centers combine two conflicting goals: on the one hand, maximum availability and operational reliability (Uptime Institute Tier III); on the other hand, the lowest possible energy consumption and ecological footprint. The Green Energy Park in Zellik—a research hub of the VUB and UZ Brussel focused on energy transition, digitization, and biotechnology—required a data center that would unite both objectives and serve as a model for the sector.
Ingenium was responsible for the entire technical process: from preliminary design through to completion and commissioning. During the design phase, we developed scenarios for energy generation, cooling, and heat recovery, always with the E00 target in mind. We integrated photovoltaic panels into the facade, a cascade system for HVAC with adiabatic cooling, and a rainwater basin in the basement. The residual heat from the servers is reused via a campus network, which substantially increases efficiency.
During the project, we coordinated the work among the specialized contractors and ensured quality control and follow-up through the provisional and final acceptance phases. We also oversaw the commissioning of the supercomputer (1 MW) and the data center itself (7.2 MW of IT power). The project achieved triple certification: BREEAM Excellent, EDGE Advanced, and Uptime Institute Tier III.
photos: Capture Photography
image: robust architecture
Techniques used and final result
Energy & Sustainability
E-level E00: fully energy-neutral
100% green energy, partly generated locally via a photovoltaic facade
Industry-leading PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness)
Circular building design: reuse of materials, minimal use of new raw materials
HVAC & Refrigeration
- Cascaded HVAC system with heat recovery from server waste heat
- Adiabatic cooling for improved energy efficiency
- Rainwater Harvesting in a Basement Reservoir for a Cooling System
- Campus District Heating Network: Reusing Waste Heat within Green Energy Park
IT & Infrastructure
- 7.2 MW of IT power for the data center
- 1 MW supercomputer (TIER I)
- Uptime Institute Tier III: Maximum Reliability
- Local smart grid island mode: Enables autonomous energy management
Certifications & Accreditation
- BREEAM Excellent
- EDGE Advanced
- Uptime Institute Tier III
- Datacloud Award 2025: "Best Data Center Sustainability Project of the Year"
- DCR Excellence Award: "Data Center of the Year"
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Nexus Datacenter at Green energy park
To accelerate the energy transition, cooperation between different stakeholders is badly needed. A good example of a new location contributing to energy transition is the Green Energy Park in Zellik. Ingenium played a crucial role in the development of the data center up close.
Client
Ghelamco
Architect
Robust architecture
Location
Green Energy Park Zellik
Photos
Capture Photography
Timing
2021- completed June 2024
Budget
EUR 55 mio, excluding VAT
Epeil
E00
Nexus Datacenter at Green energy park
Introduction
The Nexus Data Center at the Green Energy Park in Zellik is Belgium’s first fully sustainable data center. It combines 7.2 MW of IT power with an E-level rating of E00 and runs on 100% green energy, some of which is generated locally. Waste heat is recovered, rainwater is used for cooling, and the building is designed with circularity in mind. Ingenium handled the entire design, construction supervision, and commissioning of the technical systems. The project won the Datacloud Award 2025 for “Best Data Center Sustainability Project of the Year.”
Ingenium's role in this project
Data centers combine two conflicting goals: on the one hand, maximum availability and operational reliability (Uptime Institute Tier III); on the other hand, the lowest possible energy consumption and ecological footprint. The Green Energy Park in Zellik—a research hub of the VUB and UZ Brussel focused on energy transition, digitization, and biotechnology—required a data center that would unite both objectives and serve as a model for the sector.
Ingenium was responsible for the entire technical process: from preliminary design through to completion and commissioning. During the design phase, we developed scenarios for energy generation, cooling, and heat recovery, always with the E00 target in mind. We integrated photovoltaic panels into the facade, a cascade system for HVAC with adiabatic cooling, and a rainwater basin in the basement. The residual heat from the servers is reused via a campus network, which substantially increases efficiency.
During the project, we coordinated the work among the specialized contractors and ensured quality control and follow-up through the provisional and final acceptance phases. We also oversaw the commissioning of the supercomputer (1 MW) and the data center itself (7.2 MW of IT power). The project achieved triple certification: BREEAM Excellent, EDGE Advanced, and Uptime Institute Tier III.
photos: Capture Photography
image: robust architecture
Techniques used and final result
Energy & Sustainability
E-level E00: fully energy-neutral
100% green energy, partly generated locally via a photovoltaic facade
Industry-leading PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness)
Circular building design: reuse of materials, minimal use of new raw materials
HVAC & Refrigeration
- Cascaded HVAC system with heat recovery from server waste heat
- Adiabatic cooling for improved energy efficiency
- Rainwater Harvesting in a Basement Reservoir for a Cooling System
- Campus District Heating Network: Reusing Waste Heat within Green Energy Park
IT & Infrastructure
- 7.2 MW of IT power for the data center
- 1 MW supercomputer (TIER I)
- Uptime Institute Tier III: Maximum Reliability
- Local smart grid island mode: Enables autonomous energy management
Certifications & Accreditation
- BREEAM Excellent
- EDGE Advanced
- Uptime Institute Tier III
- Datacloud Award 2025: "Best Data Center Sustainability Project of the Year"
- DCR Excellence Award: "Data Center of the Year"