Data Centre (Housing)
Nikhef is the Dutch institute for particle physics research, but as a nonprofit, neutral, and independent organization, it also has a long tradition in the development of the Internet and operates its own data center.
As the oldest user of the internet in the Netherlands, Nikhef has played a prominent role in improving the internet’s infrastructure for decades.
This commitment gave rise to Nikhef Housing, a data centre focused on connectivity. Nikhef Housing is one of the largest internet exchange points in Europe and home to more than 200 organizations.
These include the major internet exchange AMS-IX and other interconnection hubs such as NL-IX and ND-IX. In addition, telecom companies, internet service providers, and DNS servers also utilize it.
Since 2026, the data traffic of the university ICT organization SURF has also been hosted at Nikhef Housing. Nikhef Housing is also literally a meeting point for all these parties.
Nikhef Housing is an AMS-IX-certified modern, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly data center. The facility uses exclusively green energy, and Nikhef recycles 50 percent of the waste heat for student housing, Amsterdam University College, and its own building—all located at Amsterdam Science Park.
Since 2017, Nikhef Housing has been a member of the Dutch Data Center Association.