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QTS said its 2025 sustainability and development update showed gains in water efficiency, carbon-free electricity use, green financing, and large-scale construction activity as the company continued expanding data centers across North America and Europe.
Among the headline figures, the data center operator reported a 46% year-over-year improvement in water usage effectiveness in 2025. It said that marked the 13th consecutive year of improvement under its measure.
The company also said all new greenfield data centers commissioned during the year used its closed-loop cooling design. According to the report, facilities using that system are designed to require no water for cooling after becoming operational. QTS reported a water usage effectiveness of zero for data centers built with the design since it was introduced in 2019.
QTS reported 100% carbon-free operational electricity utilization across its facilities in 2025.
The company said all new buildings were designed to Green Building Standards. During the year, 26 data centers received ENERGY STAR certification, and new buildings also included electric vehicle charging stations.
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The report said QTS secured $24 billion in green financing to support construction and refinancing for more than 30 data centers.
It highlighted the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, campus as a major example of that development program. QTS reported a $10 billion investment in construction and development at the campus. The project is expected to support more than 2,000 construction jobs, according to the report.
QTS also reported that the Cedar Rapids campus is estimated to contribute $1.3 billion annually to Linn County's GDP and up to $23 million through its Community Betterment Fund.
The report said more than 90% of QTS employees were hired locally in 2025. It also cited the QTS Data Center Academy, which provides paid training for people without prior experience.
The update comes as rapid data center development is increasing the importance of energy, water, and construction planning for owners and contractors delivering digital infrastructure.
For data center owners and construction partners, the report said sustainability requirements increasingly affect project design, equipment selection, utility coordination, financing, and long-term facility operations. It said QTS' reported use of closed-loop cooling, carbon-free electricity, and green financing shows how environmental criteria are being incorporated into major data center development programs.
The company also pointed to the construction employment tied to the Cedar Rapids campus as an example of the workforce impact large-scale data center projects can have in local markets.
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