Leafcloud — Heat Reuse to warm water in nursing homes
Leafcloud’s approach shows how smart infrastructure can reduce emissions, benefit communities, and make digital operations part of a more sustainable future.
Category: Buildings and Energy
Leafcloud has found an innovative way to reuse server heat: their data servers are placed inside a nursing home in Zaandam, where the heat they generate is directly used to warm water for the residents. While these servers power websites, databases, and AI tools for companies worldwide, the local community benefits from lower heating costs and warmer showers.
Environmental impact
In 2024 alone, the system delivered 210 GJ of thermal energy, covering nearly 25% of the nursing home’s water heating needs. This smart reuse of energy reduces natural gas consumption and represents the CO2 savings of roughly 15–20 round-trip economy flights between London and Paris. It’s a meaningful and measurable example of circular energy use.
Societal impact
Beyond just energy savings, this model helps accelerate the clean energy transition. By tapping into excess green energy and reducing reliance on traditional data centers, Leafcloud supports local infrastructure, lowers living costs, and improves digital sovereignty. It also demonstrates how tech innovation can have tangible social benefits—especially for vulnerable communities.
Leafcloud shows how digital infrastructure can power both technology and local communities. Their heat reuse model is a smart, scalable example of how IT can cut emissions, improve lives, and inspire others to rethink what’s possible in sustainability.
