ADI pursued Tier Certification from the outset of the design of its Basque region facility. Its resiliency has been put to the test in a regional outage, and ADI also reports that the Certification process has avoided costly redesign work.

Atlantic Data Infrastructure (ADI), based in the Basque Country, Spain, was formed in 2022 as a public-private partnership, aiming to foster digital services and businesses in the Atlantic region.

It receives around 25% of its funding from public institutions including the Regional Governments of Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, as well as the Basque Government. The remaining 75% comes from the following private stakeholders: Dominion, Euskaltel, Gertek, Iberdrola, Kutxabank, Mondragon Corporación Cooperativa, and Teknei.

The organization provides digital services, including IaaS, PaaS, and colocation, to public institutions and private enterprises in the Atlantic region, across various sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and manufacturing. Its goal is to foster innovation in areas including cloud computing, AI, high-performance computing (HPC), digital sovereignty, and data localization.

To support this work, ADI has been creating resilient infrastructure for online services, centered at a new facility in Bizkaia. The location ensures that services to the region can be delivered with low latency and compliant with local data regulations.

The data center of Bizkaia is being commissioned in two 1MW phases, designed for energy efficiency and Uptime-Certified Tier IV fault tolerance, using telecoms services from different companies.

At the outset of the design of its Bizkaia facility, ADI decided to pursue Tier IV Certification, on the basis that full fault tolerance and continuous availability were necessary to provide the level of service its partners needed.

ADI’s customers expected high availability and reliability, and ADI saw certification as a way to differentiate itself in the market. ADI wanted third-party validation which would add a layer of neutrality and credibility that was crucial for stakeholder confidence.

Tier Certification provides this guarantee, giving partners confidence that their critical operations are hosted in a facility that meets the highest international standards.

The Tier Certification process began at the design phase and was central to the process of both designing and constructing the facility. The process influenced every engineering decision from system architecture to operational protocols, becoming part of the organization’s culture.

ADI’s team had a significant amount of experience of previous data center projects, including Tier Certified facilities. The Tier Certification process gave them a well-structured plan to make best use of these skills, and a framework to deliver an efficient and resilient facility.

As well as testing the design of the infrastructure and the final constructed facility, the Tier IV Certification process also required discipline and coordination amongst the engineering and operations teams throughout the process.

ADI reports that Tier Certification fostered a culture of discipline, documentation, and continuous improvement, in day-to-day operations. As well as guaranteeing the quality of the facility, the process reduced operational risks by identifying potential vulnerabilities early and addressing them proactively.

Integrating Tier Certification requirements from the very beginning of the project ensured that all systems were built with compliance in mind. The process reinforced several vital processes, including

• Rigorous internal testing
• Simulating failure scenarios
• Maintaining detailed documentation at every stage

All of these came into play when ADI addressed one of the most complex challenges: coordinating the integration of power, cooling, and fire suppression systems to function flawlessly under failover conditions. This required cross-functional collaboration, multiple simulations and failure scenario testing, and detailed documentation to support audit requirements and internal knowledge transfer.

These practices did not just support the certification process. By ensuring cooperation and knowledge transfer, they improved ADI’s overall operational readiness and ensured future resilience.

With internal procedures and cross-team coordination refined by the certification process, ADI concludes that Tier Certification is not just a milestone—it’s a mindset.

The Bizkaia facility achieved Tier IV Design Certification at the start of the process, and the completed Phase 1 was awarded Tier IV Certification of Constructed Facility (TCCF) in May 2025.

Certification validates that ADI’s infrastructure will operate continuously under adverse conditions. Beyond this, ADI asserts that certification has also fostered an internal operational culture which can demonstrably ensure Tier IV resiliency is sustained over time – a differentiator which allows the operator to offer premium services and attract long-term clients.

ADI’s certification aligns with the goal of supporting digital transformation, setting a benchmark for quality and reliability which will encourage higher standards across the industry.

Beyond the Bizkaia facility, ADI is planning to extend its reach and capacity with other facilities. These will be designed with sustainability, scalability, and resiliency in mind.

ADI plans to pursue Tier Certification in future projects, in order to provide a trusted benchmark for clients and stakeholders.

To other operators, ADI advises that Tier Certification requires commitment, coordination, and a clear understanding of the standards. It is also important to start early and involve experienced professionals from the beginning.

The value is significant though: “Certification is not just a technical goal— it’s a strategic asset.”

Data Center Euskadi Bizkaia – Abanto-Zierbena, Spain

• Tier IV Certification of Design Documents
• Tier IV Certification of Constructed Facility