IBM has launched a new NZ$80m data center in New Zealand. The company will use the facility, designed to a high energy efficiency standard, to provide a number of services, including virtual servers, hosted private cloud and hybrid-cloud infrastructure, among others.

IBM New Zealand managing director Jennifer Moxon said in a statement, launch of the data center, part of the Highbrook Business Park in Auckland, was a “major step” in technology-infrastructure development in New Zealand.

“As New Zealand’s economy continues to grow, IBM’s data center will provide a platform for businesses to drive increased efficiencies, improved productivity and greater innovation,” she said.

The facility’s design uses a number of energy efficient features, including features that maximize its use of free cooling even in Auckland’s subtropical climate.

One of these features is a system that harvests rain water and stores it in oversized underground pipes before using it to supplement cooling capacity. Free cooling is maximized further by plate heat exchangers connected to each cooling tower.

The data center has a centralized humidification and dehumidification system.

The 56,000-sq-ft facility currently provides about 16,000 sq ft of raised floor – enough to support about 720 server racks. There is room for expansion, which IBM expects to be enough to meet demand for the next 15 years.

IBM operates more than 400 data centers around the world.