Borealis Data Center’s Kajaani campus is delivered in record time with project management services

The Borealis Data Center in Kajaani was completed at Renforsin Ranta in just seven months. Despite its tailored concept and ambitious sustainability targets, the project achieved delivery on schedule. Borealis’ Kajaani facility is the first co-location data center to implement direct liquid cooled solution across an entire site at full megawatt scale in Finland. Sweco provided design and project management services.

Borealis Data Center in Kajaani continues the company’s legacy of sustainability

Borealis Data Center aims to be among the world’s most environmentally responsible data center operators. While all its data centers in Iceland run entirely on renewable energy, the same commitment to sustainability guided the design of the new cross-laminated timber (CLT) data center completed in 2025 at Renforsin Ranta in Kajaani.

“We are thrilled to have our first HPC/AI datacenter in Finland – a major milestone and an exciting step forward in Borealis’s growth across the Nordic region,” says Antti-Jussi Tampio, Borealis’ Site Manager for Kajaani, Finland.

He calls Kajaani an ideal location: “The City of Kajaani’s investment in developing the datacenter ecosystem in the area is clearly visible. We’ve been able to successfully build a strong network of partners, identify ecosystem benefits, and connect with top experts.”

“Delivering our Kajaani data center required agility and trust among all partners,” says Marcel Mendes da Costa, Chief Development Officer at Borealis Data Center. “Sweco’s broad capabilities supported us in turning this concept into reality on an accelerated schedule.”

Marcel points to Borealis Data Center’s success is in part due to the strength of its partnerships with suppliers, the community, and other stakeholders.

Data center delivered in just seven months using a project management model

One of the project’s key constraints was the extremely tight schedule. “To keep everything on track, it was crucial that all partners could respond quickly and adapt as needed throughout the build,” Tampio explains.

Sweco’s project management service was chosen as the delivery model, enabling a short turnaround time, cost savings and active risk management. While design was still in its early stages, Sweco’s project managers were already preparing procurement and site operations.

“Our architects quickly produced drawings for the building permit but otherwise design progressed hand-in-hand with construction,” says Juha Mäkelä, Sweco’s Construction Director and Project Manager. The project management team kept the client closely informed and involved in decision-making throughout the project.

The data center reached handover in just seven months – an unofficial record, Mäkelä estimates. “Success required high levels of collaboration and rapid responsiveness from all parties.”

Customized liquid-cooling system for the Borealis Data Center

According to Sweco’s Export Director Jouni Palmu, the design process prioritized electrical engineering. “We first planned the most critical power distribution changes and placed long‑lead orders proactively.”

Palmu oversaw the design and acted as the client’s main contact. “All communication flowed through me, ensuring the client’s voice was heard in every aspect of the project.”

Cooling design began early. “Cooling solutions were selected based on the Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) metric,” says Sweco’s lead specialist Salla Sorokin. “We designed a liquid-cooling system with fresh thinking, prioritizing reliability.”

The cooling system enables the reuse of excess heat the local district heating network, covering about ten percent of Kajaani’s heating needs. Sweco also partnered with energy company Loiste as an EPCM consultant.

Borealis Data Center continues Kajaani’s industrial legacy

The data center was built into a former UPM paper mill warehouse but constructed to current building standards. Structural design involved handling large masses, requiring special calculations and reinforcement.

“Our structural engineers developed solutions based on site conditions, using either precast concrete or cast‑in‑place methods as needed,” Mäkelä says. “The priority was keeping the site moving quickly.”

Certified cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels sourced locally from Kuhmo were used in the frame. Palmu notes the historical atmosphere was almost tangible: “The old paper mill hall was transformed into a modern data center where information now flows in bits instead of paper.”