The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Facebook’s Iowa data center is now part of Meta’s Altoona campus, a large industrial site built to keep online services running. Meta’s June 2026 “Inside One of Meta’s Data Centers” tour focuses on the facility’s compute servers and sustainable cooling systems. The page does not provide a shot-by-shot caption list or identify every current server and cooling model, so the tour can show the environment without serving as a complete engineering specification.
Where is Meta’s Iowa data center?
The facility is in Altoona, Polk County, Iowa. Facebook announced the project on April 23, 2013, describing it as infrastructure needed to support the service as usage grew. In that announcement, Jay Parikh wrote, “Our data centers are essential for making that happen.” The site was announced under the Facebook name; current references use Meta’s Altoona data center.
Facebook said construction would begin that summer and that user traffic was expected to reach the center in 2014. On November 14, 2014, the company announced, “Facebook’s newest data center in Altoona, Iowa, is now online.”
What does the Facebook data center in Iowa look like inside?
Meta’s June 2026 video tour invites viewers inside the Altoona facility and identifies two subjects: compute servers and sustainable cooling systems. Those are the documented tour themes. The accessible page text does not enumerate each room, provide a building-by-building map, name current hardware models, or publish a complete list of shots.
#1 Best Overall
- Save valuable floor space: 6U wall mount server cabinet Dimensions: 13.78" H x21.65" W x17.72" D.Maximum mounting depth is 14.2"
- Keep critical network equipment secure: glass door and side panels are lockable to prevent unauthorized access. Front door can be installed on either side of the front of the cabinet to satisfy your door swing orientation preference
- Easy equipment configuration: Fully adjustable mounting rails and numbered U positions, with square holes for easy equipment mounting with top and bottom punch-out panels for easy cable access
- Durability: Made of high quality cold rolled steel holds up to 110lb (50kg) (Easy Assembly Required)
- PCI & HIPPA and EIA/ECA-310-E compliant
Compute areas
The original design used equipment developed through the Open Compute Project (OCP), an approach Facebook described in 2013 and again when the facility came online in 2014. OCP is therefore part of Altoona’s documented design history, but the historical descriptions do not establish that every server visible in a 2026 tour is the same model.
Cooling infrastructure
Facebook’s 2014 opening report said Altoona used 100% outside air for cooling. The 2013 announcement had described outdoor-air cooling as part of the planned design. Meta’s 2026 tour calls the cooling systems sustainable, but its page text does not specify the current configuration or quantify its present-day performance.
When did the Altoona data center open, and how did it expand?
| Date | Milestone | What the source establishes |
|---|---|---|
| April 23, 2013 | Project announced | Facebook planned an Altoona data center, OCP server designs, outdoor-air cooling and network improvements; groundbreaking was expected that summer. |
| November 14, 2014 | Facility online | Facebook reported outside-air cooling, OCP equipment and renewable-energy certificates associated with a nearby Iowa wind project. |
| December 14, 2021 | Further expansion announced | Meta said two additional buildings would bring the planned campus above five million square feet. The article’s projected 2025 buildout was an estimate, not proof of completion. |
| June 2026 | Inside-the-data-center tour published | Meta’s tour highlights compute servers and sustainable cooling; detailed current equipment specifications are not listed in the page text. |
How big is the Facebook data center in Iowa?
Meta’s December 2021 expansion announcement said the planned Altoona campus would exceed five million square feet. That figure described the proposed expanded campus, not an independently verified as-built measurement.
The same 2021 announcement reported that construction since 2013 had used 400,000 cubic yards of concrete, 26,000 tons of steel and 8.7 million work hours. These are company-reported historical totals as of that announcement.
Rank #2
- Universal 19” Rack Mount Compatibility – Perfect for pro audio, video, IT, and network gear. Compatible with mixers, routers, patch panels, servers, power amps, and more.
- Heavy-Duty Load Capacity – Built to support up to 550 lbs. Ideal for studio gear, DJ setups, server equipment, and AV components that demand serious stability.
- Robust Steel Frame & Design – Made with 1.5mm thick steel and weighs 36 lbs for maximum durability, reduced vibration, and long-term reliability in any setting.
- Mobile & Secure – Preinstalled with 3” industrial-grade caster wheels (lockable), making it easy to move and position your rack exactly where you need it.
- All-In-One Setup Kit Included – Comes with 34 rack screws (5mm & 6mm), a 1U blank spacer, and an assembly tool—ready for fast installation out of the box.
Investment and workforce figures
Meta’s current Altoona facility information sheet, accessed September 30, 2026, lists more than $2.5 billion invested in Iowa, 1,300 skilled-trades workers at peak construction and more than 400 operational jobs supported. These figures come from Meta and are not an independent economic-impact study.
How does Meta cool its Iowa data center?
The documented operating description is 100% outside-air cooling, reported when the first facility came online in 2014. Meta’s current facility sheet also says Altoona prioritizes water efficiency through cooling it describes as significantly more water-efficient than the industry standard, repeated water reuse before wastewater discharge, rainwater capture and infiltration, native landscaping where possible and water-saving fixtures.
Meta says a Polk County project with partners will capture and treat nearly 10,000 acres of agricultural drainage and benefit waterways in the Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt. These statements describe Meta’s reported practices and goals; the supplied facility information does not provide an independent audit of the claimed performance.
What energy and water commitments does Meta report?
Electricity and renewable energy
Meta says it worked with MidAmerican Energy to plan for Altoona’s power needs and pays the full costs of energy used by the data center so consumers are not negatively affected. The company also says it matches electricity use with clean and renewable energy and that operational buildings achieve LEED Gold certification.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- ADJUSTABLE DEPTH: 4- Post 22U 19" server rack enclosure with 4 vertical rails and adjustable mounting depth 5.7" to 33.0" (14,4cm to 83,8cm); IT rack is compatible with various servers / switches / data / video / AV and other IT networking equipment
- EASY SHIPPING AND ASSEMBLY: Enclosed 22U data rack cabinet ships compact flat-packed to avoid damage and facilitate installation; Include wheels & levelling feet to offer more stability; Home server rack cabinet is only 46.6in (118,3cm) in height
- DESIGN AND VENTILATION: Half height server rack cabinet has lockable and removable door and side panels with vented top allowing airflow; 4 Post 19" rack with 1764lb (800kg) weight capacity (stationary); Computer cabinet rack is EIA/ECA-310-E Compliant
- HARDWARE INCLUDED: Rolling home network rack includes rack mounting and equipment mounting hardware, such as 20 M6 cage nuts / screws, PVC cup washers; Front/rear doors and side panels Keys, 2x allen keys; Rack assembly hardware; Casters and leveling feet
- THE IT PRO'S CHOICE: Designed and built for IT Professionals, this 22U IT Server Cabinet is backed for life, including free lifetime 24/5 multi-lingual technical assistance
In its 2014 opening report, Facebook said a nearby Wellsburg wind project added 140 megawatts of new renewable energy to Iowa’s grid. It described renewable-energy certificates as the mechanism for matching Altoona’s use and said the project exceeded what the center would require “for the foreseeable future” at that time. That was a dated comparison, not a current assessment of Iowa’s grid.
Water and wastewater
Meta says it worked with the City of Altoona to pay the full cost of water and wastewater service. Its facility sheet lists the water-efficiency measures above, but does not turn them into a publicly audited site-wide consumption figure.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What lower-emission construction technology was tested at Altoona?
Meta’s 2025 sustainability report names trials of three technologies at Altoona:
- Solar-hybrid lighting towers.
- Temporary power generators with battery backup.
- Electric heaters.
Meta said it and its partners were evaluating the equipment against performance criteria before considering broader scale-up. These were reported tests, not evidence that every contractor, piece of equipment or Meta construction site uses the technologies.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #4
- DURABLE BUILD: Constructed from high-quality Cold Rolled Steel, the NavePoint Consumer Series 12U network cabinet boasts a sturdy, welded frame. Fitting EIA standard 19” networking equipment, this server cabinet confidently supports up to 110 lbs, providing a resilient base for your vital IT gear and equipment
- CONVENIENT DESIGN: This 12U cabinet features a reinforced, heat-treated, tempered glass front door with a security lock. Perfect for applications requiring both security and accessibility, its compact design of 17.72"L x 21.65"W x 24.42"H offers a practical solution for space-constrained settings.
- EASY & CUSTOMIZABLE EQUIPMENT SET UP - The 12U IT cabinet, with removable side panels and security locks, offers customization at its finest. Whether it's for an efficient device or cable management, this data cabinet ensures secure, adaptable configurations that suit your networking server requirements
- ENHANCED VENTILATION & SECURITY - Built-in fans and flow-through ventilation work to prevent overheating, ensuring optimal operation of your equipment. The reinforced, lockable tempered glass front door not only boosts security but also facilitates easy monitoring of installed equipment.
- SAFETY & COMPLIANCE - All NavePoint products are built to industry standards.
How has the project affected local jobs and communities?
Training and construction access
Meta’s 2021 expansion article described its Hardhat in Hand program with Turner Construction and Des Moines Area Community College. The program combined classroom instruction with on-the-job training; Meta reported seven graduates in a class recognized in December 2021.
Local funding
Meta’s current facility sheet reports more than $5.6 million in direct funding for Polk County-area schools and nonprofits, plus more than 300 grants and sponsorships since 2015. The earlier 2021 article reported more than $2.6 million at that time, so the newer figure should be treated as the current company-published total rather than combined with the older number.
What this photo tour can—and cannot—show
- It can show: the scale and working environment of a modern data center, along with the server and cooling subjects Meta chose to feature.
- It establishes historically: Altoona was designed around OCP equipment and outside-air cooling, and Facebook reported the first facility online in 2014.
- It does not establish from the page text: current server model numbers, a complete list of buildings visited, exact current floor area, detailed operating metrics or independently verified sustainability results.
The Bottom Line
Meta’s Altoona campus grew from a 2013 Facebook announcement into a multi-building Iowa data-center operation. The June 2026 tour offers a visual look at servers and cooling, while the most precise claims about size, investment, energy, water and community spending remain dated, company-reported figures that should be read with their stated qualifications.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
