Elea Data Centers said the data centre serves as a hyper-connected operational foundation and an immediate connectivity gateway.
Located in greater Rio de Janeiro near the secure Olympic Park, RJO1 is very strategically positioned in the third largest city in South America. It operates as a carrier-neutral data centre and is well-known for its hyperconnected IT infrastructure that aims to ensure fast and reliable access to essential digital services through sustainable construction and operation.
The data centre hosts multiple cloud providers, carriers, ISPs and a Point of Presence (PoP) for traffic exchange.
Building the future of LATAM data centres
The site is a critical part of the company’s Rio Al City project. Announced earlier in the year, Rio Al City is designed to support AI growth with 3.2GW of renewable energy with delivery commencing in 2026.
Elea Data Centers has extensive geographic distribution in Brazil and is positioning Rio AI City to become an epicentre of connectivity, energy and strategic logistics for the data centre sector.
Speaking at the time, president and founder of the company, Alessandro Lombardi, said: “We are talking about a data centre city designed for the future, creating an ecosystem between community, sustainability and technological innovation. Rio AI City is born with energy available and connectivity and it is a project capable of attracting the brains that will design the world to come.”
He added: “We see Brazil and Rio de Janeiro positioning themselves at the global epicentre of digital transformation.”
Strong sustainability specifications
The concept design and masterplan for the Rio Al City campus was created by the architectural firm Hyphen. As the most interconnected site in Rio, it serves as an immediate connectivity gateway for the future campus.
A significant aspect of the RJO1 data centre is its sustainable design, something that Elea Data Centers is extremely committed to. Defined by its sustainable model, the complex is aiming to be a top ten global data centre hub for AI and cloud workloads.
RJO1 was the first project in the region to be 100% sustainably oriented and promotes energy efficiency practices. It has advanced cooling systems to reduce water consumption by 40% and has integrated rainwater and sewage treatment systems for reuse.
As a result of its sustainability commitment, RJO1 has achieved an independently verified PUE of 1.5 – lower than the industry average – and is also aiming for a water usage effectiveness (WUE) of 0.3 litres per kWh by 2026. This model is based on eliminating the use of water for cooling.
“RJO1 proves that a site can be both hyper-connected and exceptionally green,” Lombardi explained. “By upgrading this operational anchor, we have built the foundation for Rio AI City, a future 3.2 GW ecosystem that links technology directly to urban and social progress.”
In addition to being a certified Tier III facility, it now has 5MW total IT capacity, which was more than doubled by the 2024 expansion.
Future phases of the development, including RJO2, RJO3 and RJO4 are being designed to operate with waterless cooling systems and ‘green skin’ architecture.
A hyperconnected future
Crucially, the campus is already directly integrated with the City of Rio’s initiative to transform the area. This involves reforesting and revitalising more than 200,000 square metres of land.
The project also has institutional support from Rio City Hall and is anticipated to create more than 10,000 high-skilled jobs and advance digital inclusion across the region.
Lombardi added: “This project is a crucial component of urban revitalisation, attracting both global investment and tech companies to the city and strengthening Rio’s role as the capital of the new digital economy.”
Construction for RJO2 is currently underway.
All images courtesy of Elea Data Centers.
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