Public information does not identify which of Equinix’s newly opened 2026 sites use raised floors. Equinix’s expansion page lists Silicon Valley SV18 and Madrid MD5 as opened in Q2 2026, but it does not state their floor construction. The available evidence does show that Equinix continues to use both raised-floor and slab designs, with the choice varying by facility.
Which new Equinix sites use raised floors?
Equinix’s expansion page lists SV18 in Silicon Valley and MD5 in Madrid as opened in Q2 2026. It also lists Lagos LG3 and Istanbul IL3 as projects planned for later openings. The page does not identify whether any of these sites use raised floors or slab floors, so their designs cannot be determined from the public schedule alone.
Equinix’s 2025 Form 10-K provides a dated view of development activity: it reports 16 data centers opened during 2025 and 52 major development projects underway as of January 2026. Those portfolio figures do not indicate which facilities have raised floors. Do not infer a new site’s floor type from its region, opening date or neighboring Equinix facilities.
Does Equinix still use raised floors?
Yes. Equinix continues to operate and develop facilities using both raised-floor and slab-floor designs. Its 2023 account says both approaches can cool data centers successfully and that there is no single right design for every facility. Equinix’s 2023 cooling overview puts it this way: “The truth is, there’s no one right way to design a data center, and new technologies only serve to drive home that point.”
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Current Singapore specifications illustrate the difference. SG5 is specified as a slab-floor facility, while SG4 lists load capacities for both raised and slab floors. These are site-specific specifications, not evidence that all new Equinix sites follow either design.
| Facility | Floor information in Equinix’s specification | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore SG5 | Slab floor; capacity 313 psf (15 kN/m²) | Equinix has a documented slab-floor example. The rating applies to SG5 only. |
| Singapore SG4 | Raised and slab floor load capacities of 261 psf (13 kN/m²) | The specification lists both floor types and a site-specific rating; it does not establish SG4 as a newly opened site. |
Sources: Equinix’s SG5 facility specification, accessed October 8, 2026, and SG4 facility specification, accessed October 8, 2026.
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Why choose a raised floor or a slab?
Floor design is an operational and engineering choice, not a simple ranking of newer versus older construction. Equinix’s detailed comparison dates to 2011, with a 2016 reference; its conclusions are historical analysis rather than current, portfolio-wide performance measurements.
Raised floors: accessible underfloor space and flexibility
A raised floor creates a plenum beneath removable or rearrangeable tiles. That space can support underfloor air delivery and provide routes for services. Equinix’s historical comparison says perforated tiles can be repositioned and that accessible plenum space may make later cooling or electrical changes easier in an operating facility.
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Equinix’s 2011 article describes the benefit this way: “The accessible raised floor plenum facilitates future changes such as added cooling or electrical infrastructure – it is easier to run new conduits or piping under a raised floor than it is to run overhead in a ‘live’ data center.”
Slab floors: fewer raised-floor loading and movement concerns
A slab avoids the raised structure and its associated loading and moving-load concerns. Equinix’s historical comparison assigns slab an advantage for equipment installation, movement and maintenance, citing point-loading and moving-load considerations with raised floors. The suitability of either system still depends on the facility’s equipment, layout and operating requirements.
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Cooling performance depends on the facility design
Equinix has described underfloor air delivery with raised floors and slab-floor approaches using overhead cooling as viable. Its 2011 comparison found no significant cooling-efficiency advantage for either approach at the base design power density it evaluated. That is a historical finding for the stated design basis, not a current universal measurement or a guarantee for a particular facility.
Tenant and regional requirements matter
Equinix’s older design comparison notes that a multi-tenant operator must accommodate different customer and operational needs, and that regional market expectations can influence facility design. This helps explain why one floor approach should not be assumed across a company’s portfolio.
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What should Equinix customers know about raised-floor areas?
Equinix’s installation guidance says access below a raised floor is prohibited to anyone who is not an Equinix employee. Customers should arrange underfloor work through Equinix personnel rather than opening or modifying the plenum themselves.
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- Do not obstruct ventilation tiles.
- Keep airflow clear on the cold and hot sides of cabinets.
- Coordinate underfloor access and work with Equinix staff.
Source: Equinix’s installation guidance.
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