Malaysia has marked a milestone in sustainable digital infrastructure with the country’s first hyperscale data centre to receive provisional GreenRE Platinum certification for water, energy and sustainability design.
The AI-capable facility by ZDATA Group, located in Gelang Patah, Johor, is currently the only data centre in Malaysia with this rating, the highest under the GreenRE scheme managed by the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (REHDA). The centre already holds the Malaysia Green Data Centre Recycled Water Certification for its pioneering use of reclaimed water.
Phase 1 of the RM8 billion, 38-acre project has been completed and will begin operations in March 2026. Phase 2 is under construction, with operations expected to start in the second quarter of 2026, while the remaining phases are scheduled for completion by the end of 2027.
A key feature of the facility is its use of 100% reclaimed water for cooling, sourced from two dedicated treatment plants, helping to minimise reliance on potable water. ZDATA is also among the earliest signatories to the Johor Special Water Project, promoting sustainable water use in high-impact industries such as data centres.
The data centre is engineered for energy efficiency and is scheduled to be powered by renewable energy from a solar farm starting in 2028, projected to supply around 630,000 MWh annually. Advanced closed-loop cooling, high-efficiency UPS systems and optimised power distribution help reduce operational energy consumption, contributing to a low Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE).
ZDATA said the development reinforces Malaysia’s role as a regional hub for sustainable digital infrastructure, supporting AI and cloud adoption while promoting energy efficiency, water stewardship and long-term sustainability.
