The data centres are designed to hold network equipment, hundreds of servers and other technology
Facebook is gearing up with more convention centre-sized buildings and technology for its ever-growing use of social media.
The social network company led a media tour Wednesday to show off two data-storage buildings under construction and to indicate where two more buildings will be erected on its 751-acre campus south of Albuquerque. Those four buildings will increase the total number of data-storage facilities to eight at the Los Lunas site and give the company a total of 3.8 million square feet of space there.
The scale of this is enormous, said Joe Vlastelicia, senior project manager for Fortis Construction of Portland, Ore., the general contractor on the project.
As Tony Perea, site manager for Facebook, led people through one structure, he said: Essentially the size of this building is four football fields.
The data centres are designed to hold network equipment, fibre connections, hundreds of servers and other technology to help store and distribute the text, photos and videos of Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram.
Facebook spokeswoman Melanie Roe said the company has 18 such data compounds around the world, including 14 in the U.S. She said all Facebook facilities are entirely powered by wind and solar energy.
Facebook also sought Wednesday to publicize its community service work in Los Lunas and New Mexico at a time when the company is facing public criticism and political pressure.
On Wednesday, Facebook had state, county and town officials on hand to talk about contributions made by the company. Those include a plan to provide free Wi-Fi and internet service to 900 low-income residences in Valencia County and investments in water efficiency and water restoration statewide.
Jon Hayes, executive director of Audubon Southwest, said Facebook leases water from municipalities to help keep the Rio Grande flowing.
They’ve gone over and above what’s necessary, said Mark Roper, division director of the state Economic Development Department.
About 200 employees, including contract workers, currently work on Facebook operations at the Los Lunas plant, and 400 will work there when the four additional buildings are done, the company said.
More than 1,000 construction workers are consistently at the site, said Charlie Tomlin, construction project manager for Facebook. Vlastelicia of Fortis Construction said the package of eight buildings is expected to be completed by late 2024.
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