Slough, England — Residents of the industrial town of Slough, west of London, report worsening summer heat, with temperatures reaching the 90s°F during July heatwaves. A new study suggests the town’s proximity to the second-largest data center hub in the world may be contributing to the problem.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge found that data centers can create a “heat island effect”, increasing local temperatures by an average of 3.6°F, with extreme localized spikes of up to 16°F. The study analyzed 11,000 data center locations globally, including Slough, where 40 data centers operate within two miles of the town center.
How data centers generate heat
Data centers house hundreds of computer servers, which require constant cooling to prevent overheating. Cooling systems transfer excess heat into water or air, venting it outside. The persistent hum of cooling units in Slough has become a constant background noise for nearby residents.
Local impact and concerns
Nabeel Nawaz, a restaurant owner in Slough, described the heat as increasingly unbearable. “Every year we think this is the hottest, and then the next year it gets hotter than the last,” he said. While the study does not definitively prove causation, it highlights a potential link between data center operations and rising local temperatures.
Broader implications
The research suggests that data centers, which are critical to digital infrastructure, may inadvertently worsen local heat conditions. As global temperatures rise, the study raises questions about the environmental trade-offs of data center expansion. No immediate policy changes have been announced in response to the findings.