Technology colossus Apple has announced plans to build a 37,000 sq m data center in Waukee, Iowa, in the midwest United States.
The centre will be used to improve Apple services such as iMessage and Siri.
The $1.3bn facility will run entirely on renewable energy and will create 550 construction and operations jobs in the Des Moines area.
Apple will be contributing up to $100m to a newly created Public Improvement Fund dedicated to community development and infrastructure around Waukee.
The Public Improvement Fund, to be established and managed by the City of Waukee, will support the development of community projects like parks, libraries and recreational spaces, as well as infrastructure needs.Â
The first project the fund will support is construction of the Waukee Youth Sports Campus featuring a greenhouse, playground, fishing pier and fields for high school and public sporting events.
Apple will be working with local partners to invest in renewable energy projects from wind and other sources to power the data center.
Construction on the data center is expected to start early next year and Apple plans to bring it online in 2020.
Images courtesy of Apple
