LUMI AI Factory data center construction progresses in Kajaani
Construction work by SRV at the LUMI AI Factory data center site is advancing in the Renforsin Ranta area of Kajaani, Finland, and the project’s topping-out ceremony is being held today, 3 September. In CSC – IT Center for Science Ltd.’s project, the approximately 200-metre-long former paper machine hall is being transformed into a facility for the next-generation LUMI-AI supercomputer and the experimental LUMI-IQ quantum computer. The new data center is scheduled to begin operations at the end of 2027.
The construction work started in January 2026. The construction project currently employs approximately 115 people, with the workforce expected to peak at around 150. The project provides significant employment for local professionals. Most construction work has been carried out by a local workforce, and around half of the building services engineering workforce comes from the Kainuu region.
“The project has progressed very well according to schedule and in close cooperation with the client. It allows us to draw on our experience in delivering facilities that incorporate advanced technologies while maintaining high standards of quality, sustainability, energy efficiency, and occupational safety. Building services engineering naturally accounts for a significant share of the project, and our own team of top experts in the field ensures that the solutions meet both the client’s objectives and the demanding requirements of cutting-edge technology,” says Jarkko Salmenoja, Unit Director at SRV.
“Today, we are not only marking an important milestone in the construction project. This project is significant from a much broader perspective than the building itself. Data centers form a vital part of the digital infrastructure and ecosystem on which high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and data-driven services rely. This investment aims to enable researchers, companies, and public sector organisations with the computing resources required to solve increasingly complex challenges,” says Kimmo Koski, Managing Director of CSC.
Advanced building systems play a key role in data center construction
A six-month commissioning and testing phase for the building systems will begin in early 2027. The construction of the LUMI AI Factory data center is characterised by extensive building services engineering, including cooling systems, power supply infrastructure, and the integration of multiple technical systems. Especially the electrical installations account for a large share of the project. Precise operational environmental control is important for future operations, including maintaining optimal temperature levels. To support this, approximately 3.5 kilometres of welded liquid cooling pipework will be installed.
The project has made extensive use of the existing structures of the former paper machine hall. Approximately 450 cubic metres of cross-laminated timber (CLT) are being used in the walls of the data center. The CLT elements are sourced from nearby Kuhmo, where the timber raw material also originates. Additional load-bearing steel structures have been installed to support the building systems, incorporating a total of approximately 326 tonnes of steel.
LUMI AI Factory is one of the European Union’s AI Factories. Its data center is being built to host the next-generation EuroHPC supercomputer LUMI-AI and the complementary experimental LUMI-IQ quantum computer.
Photos: CSC
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Juha Oinonen
Juha Oinonen is responsible for Funet services.
