MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — A new data center is open in Waco. Duos Edge, a 720-square-foot facility located at Region 12 Education Service Center, is now operational and able to serve 77 districts and 9 charter schools across Central Texas.
- It uses zero water and minimal power. Unlike larger data centers, Duos Edge says it has no water meter on the property and draws no more electricity than a standard local business.
- Local schools could see real benefits. Faster internet speeds, stronger student data security, and compliance with federal privacy regulations like FERPA, COPPA, and CIPA are among the advantages districts like Waco ISD are weighing.
- Expansion is possible. If demand is strong, Duos Edge says it will consider opening additional data centers to serve more communities across the region
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A new data center in Waco is up and running — and its operators say its energy and water usage set it apart from others.
Duos Edge AI is a 720-square-foot data center located at Region 12, the Education Service Center that serves more than 77 districts and 9 charter schools across Central Texas. The facility is designed to provide advanced technology to urban and rural schools, businesses, and healthcare organizations.
Region 12 is calling it a solution for schools that have struggled to securely store important server data — like school records — while also delivering faster internet speeds.
"A close connection and increased speed and connectivity, especially with a lot of the tools, technology tools, AI requiring faster speeds," Region 12 Executive Director Kenny Berry said.
Unlike larger data centers, Duos Edge says it consumes no water and draws minimal power from the local grid.
"We use zero water. We don't even have a water meter hooked up to the property. Our air conditioners require no water for anything," Bill Radford, Vice President of Technology with Duos Edge AI said.
The company says its power footprint is comparable to any standard local business.
"We're not coming in to suck power out from the community. We're not costing local residents large costs in their power bills. It's no more than a standard business that would be opening up in your community," Radford said.
Duos Edge says the facility's AI-powered infrastructure is designed to reduce financial burdens on the communities it serves.
"What they will be able to do is not only reduce their costs but provide higher power and more advanced technology to all the students in the communities," Radford said.
Waco ISD is among the districts considering taking advantage of the new center. The district provided the following statement:
"The regional education service center's new edge data center initiative could provide Waco ISD with a powerful, local infrastructure solution. By leveraging the regional service center, Waco ISD has the option to gain enterprise-level technology that directly enhances the classroom experience and strengthens our district operations, all without the heavy budget and facility burdens of building it ourselves."
The district outlined three potential advantages should it choose to participate:
Zero-Lag Learning Solutions for Students: By processing data regionally rather than at distant data centers, the initiative would drastically reduce network latency.
Enhanced Local Data Security: Utilizing the regional center's secure infrastructure would give K-12 districts tighter control over sensitive information, protecting against cyber threats and ensuring compliance with FERPA, COPPA, and CIPA privacy regulations.
Cost-Effective Continuity: The initiative would provide Waco ISD with a resilient off-site data management option, bypassing the high costs of expanding on-campus data centers and keeping essential systems online during power disruptions or severe weather.
If the center sees significant interest and use, Duos Edge says it will consider expanding with additional data centers.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
