The Environmental Protection Agency has launched an investigation into complaints about persistent noise from a new data centre in Clondalkin, west Dublin.
The concerns relate to the Echelon DUB10 data centre in the Clondalkin Industrial Estate, where nearby residents began reporting an unusual humming sound in late July. The noise has been described as a continuous low-frequency hum that is particularly noticeable at night, although some residents have also heard it during the day.
Aaron Jeffrey, who lives more than 2km from the facility, said he initially believed the noise was coming from inside his home. After several nights of disrupted sleep, he began recording it and eventually suspected that the nearby data centre was the source.
“I just remember hearing this buzzing noise. To be honest, at the start I thought I was going a bit crazy,” he said.
Jeffrey said residents later discussed the issue on a local Facebook group, where several people reported experiencing similar problems.
“It’s this kind of low-frequency hum that just seems to intercept through any material,” he said, adding that closing doors, blinds and windows had made little difference.
He said he has bought earplugs, moved his bed to the furthest corner of his room and tried other measures to reduce the sound. However, he said the disruption had continued to affect his sleep and his mental and physical wellbeing.
“I understand there’s going to be disruptions in life. But every night, or a couple times a week, that’s no way to live,” he said.
Echelon Data Centres said it began investigating the complaints after they were first raised and commissioned external acoustic consultants to assess the situation. The company also removed a generator being used by contractors outside normal working hours.
The operator said further complaints prompted a new investigation at the site this week. The facility remains under construction and is not yet fully operational.
Echelon said it had carried out additional mitigation work on roof-mounted chiller units and expected to have a preliminary analysis of a noise recording before the end of the week. The results will be compared with data collected by the company at the site.
The company said it takes its environmental responsibilities and relationship with local communities seriously and that addressing the concerns remains a high priority.
The investigation comes as debate over the growth of data centres continues elsewhere in the region. A community group in Kildare is holding a public meeting about the expansion of data centres in the county.
The Kildare Data Centre Awareness Campaign has called for greater transparency and control over development. Naas Mayor Cllr Bill Clear is also due to bring a motion on data centre zoning before Kildare County Council next week.
