The Philippines’ data center sector is expanding rapidly as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data-intensive services drive demand for faster and more resilient digital infrastructure.

Responding to this surge, Schneider Electric Philippines and Digital Edge have modernized and expanded the NARRA1 data center in Laguna Technopark, Biñan, creating Southeast Asia’s first facility to achieve dual global certifications for resilience and sustainability.

The milestone places the Philippines firmly on the regional map for next-generation data infrastructure as global hyperscalers search for reliable, efficient, and environmentally responsible data center locations.

AI demand reshaping the data center market

The country’s data center colocation market is projected to grow at a 36% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2028, fueled by accelerating AI adoption, cloud computing expansion, and the rapid growth of digital services.

This surge is also making data centers increasingly energy-intensive. Operators are under pressure to maintain uptime, manage rising electricity costs, and demonstrate sustainability credentials to global investors and enterprise customers.

Facilities that can combine reliable power, operational efficiency, and low environmental impact are becoming a key competitive advantage for the Philippines as it competes for regional digital infrastructure investments.

“At Schneider Electric, we equip operators with advanced energy management and infrastructure solutions, helping make the Philippines a competitive destination for data center investment and enabling facilities like NARRA1 to meet the high standards of enterprises and hyperscale customers,” said Ireen Catane, Country President of Schneider Electric Philippines.

Building a resilient and efficient facility

Located within Laguna Technopark in Biñan, NARRA1 was upgraded through a collaboration between Schneider Electric and Digital Edge using mission-critical infrastructure designed for high availability and operational reliability.

Schneider Electric integrated key electrical systems including automatic transfer switches (ATS), uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and transformers, ensuring continuous power delivery and built-in redundancy for the facility.

These technologies provide operators with greater visibility and control over energy usage, allowing them to monitor system performance, optimize efficiency, and scale operations as AI workloads grow.

The design also supports carrier-neutral connectivity, enabling the facility to host multiple telecommunications providers and internet service providers within a single infrastructure platform.

NARRA1 currently serves as the country’s only true carrier-neutral regional data center, hosting all major telecom and ISP networks operating in the Philippines.

Sustainability at the core of the design

Beyond reliability, sustainability is a defining feature of the facility.

NARRA1 operates on 100% renewable energy and integrates high-efficiency electrical systems enabled by Schneider Electric technologies.

The facility achieves an annualized design Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.19, significantly lower than the global industry average of approximately 1.6.

This level of efficiency reduces electricity consumption by 16 million kilowatt-hours per year, lowering operating costs and cutting carbon emissions for both operators and customers.

Water conservation measures are also built into the design, reducing water use by 44 million gallons annually, equivalent to nearly 80 Olympic-size swimming pools.

These improvements allow enterprise customers and hyperscale operators to meet Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets while maintaining high-performance computing infrastructure.

Achieving multiple global certifications

With these upgrades, NARRA1 became the first data center in Southeast Asia to secure two major international certifications.

The facility received:

• ANSI/TIA-942-C Rated 3 Certification, recognizing resilience, security, and operational reliability in data center infrastructure
• EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) Certification from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), awarded to buildings that achieve at least 20% efficiency improvements in energy, water, and embodied carbon.

NARRA1 has also earned LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and BERDE certification, making it the Philippines’ first triple-green-certified data center.

“Five years ago, we were building in the middle of a global pandemic amid uncertainty, supply-chain disruptions, and lockdowns,” said Vic Barrios, President of Digital Edge DC Philippines.

“We needed partners who could deliver on time, uphold quality, and adapt with us in an environmentally complex market—one that embeds sustainability in their operations and that we could rely on end-to-end to build future-ready facilities.”

Positioning the Philippines as a regional digital hub

The development of NARRA1 highlights the country’s potential to become a regional hub for digital infrastructure.

The Philippines offers several advantages for data center investments, including a large and digitally active population, increasing demand for cloud services, and its strategic location within Southeast Asia.

As AI adoption accelerates worldwide, the need for efficient and reliable data center infrastructure will continue to grow.

Projects such as NARRA1 demonstrate how energy-efficient design, renewable energy integration, and resilient power systems can support the next wave of AI-driven economic growth while reducing the environmental footprint of digital infrastructure.

Schneider Electric continues to work with businesses, developers, and operators to build sustainable, energy-efficient data centers, helping position the Philippines as a key player in Southeast Asia’s rapidly evolving digital economy.

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