This resource page brings together credible materials to support informed decision-making, including links to trusted organizations and research, HELI's Iowa Data Center Decision Tool for local governments and communities, and our forthcoming white paper, Data Center Expansion in Iowa: Safe, Responsible Growth for the Benefit of Iowans and Protection of Natural Resources.
These resources are designed to help Iowans evaluate the potential economic, infrastructure, energy, water, environmental, and community impacts of data center development and encourage thoughtful discussions about Iowa's future.
External Resources
Organization | Link | |
|---|---|---|
Clean Energy Districts of Iowa (CEDI) Data Center Resource Hub | CEDI | |
The Environmental Law Institute, DEEP, and the Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy January 2026 Data Centers and Water Fact Sheet | Water Fact Sheet | |
The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Center for Water Policy's AI-Data Centers: Legislative Model to Promote Transparency and Environmental Protections | U.W. Legislative Model | |
CURE MN's Data Center Resource Hub, Including Fact Sheets, Webinars, and More | CURE MN Resource Hub | |
The Center for Water Security and Cooperation (CWSC) Brief on Data Center State Legislation | CWSC Legislative Brief | |
The Great Plains Institute (GPI) Data Center Resource Hub | GPI Resource Hub | |
The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy's 2025 Report on Data Center Energy and Water Use | Lincoln Institute Report | |
The American Planning Association's Data Centers Evolved: A Primer for Planners | APA Primer for Planners | |
The National Association of Counties' (NACo) Informational Primer and County Considerations: Data Centers | NACO Informational Primer | |
One of Many National League of Cities (NLC) Data Center Reports | NLC Data Center Report | |
State of Iowa Economic Development Authority's (IEDA) Data Center Page | IDEA | |
Columbia Law School Sabin Center for Climate Change Law Report on Data Center Litigation as Climate Litigation | Sabin Center Report | |
The Technology Association of Iowa (TAI) Economic Impact Study of Data Centers in Iowa | TAI | |
York County Planning Commission (YCPC) Model for Data Center Ordinances | YCPC Model Ordinance | |
Linn County's Approved 2026 Full Data Center Ordinance | Linn County | |
The City of Lancaster, PA, Community Benefit Agreement, FAQ, and Data Center Zoning Amendment | Lancaster, PA | |
The Iowa Chapter of the American Planning Association's Video Essay on Zoning for Data Centers | APA Iowa Chapter | |
The National League of Cities' (NLC) Data Center Factsheet | National League of Cities | |
Architecture 2030's Global Framework for Site Selection and Development for Hyperscale Data Centers | Architecture 2030 | |
Four main data center types
Data centers come in different sizes and serve different purposes. Understanding the four main types can help communities evaluate what kind of facility, if any, may be a good fit.
Edge Data Centers
Edge data centers are smaller facilities placed near where data is generated and used, such as in cities, industrial sites, or rural areas.
They reduce the distance data must travel, improving speed and reliability for time-sensitive applications.
Examples: Telecommunications infrastructure, smart cities, industrial sites, and loT (Internet of Things) applications.
Enterprise Data Centers
Enterprise data centers are owned and operated by a company or institution to support its own business needs. They are typically located on or near the organization's main facilities and are not designed to serve outside customers.
Examples: University systems, hospitals, banks, relaters, manufacturing companies.
Colocation Data Centers
Colocation data centers provide secure space, power, cooling, and network connections for multiple clients. Customers rent space to place their own servers and equipment while the facility handles operations and maintenance.
Examples: Regional colocation facilities that serve businesses, government agencies, and service providers.
Hyperscale Data Centers
Hyperscale data centers are extremely large facilities designed to support high volumes of data processing and storage for cloud services, streaming, social media, artificial intelligence, and other Internet-based applications.
Examples: Facilities built by major technology companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Meta.
Data Center Decision Tool
The Iowa Data Center Decision Tool is a conversation starter and risk management resource.