Khazna Secures Uptime Tier III Certification for 100MW Site

Khazna Data Centers (Khazna) has achieved Uptime Institute Tier III Certification of Design Documents for its newest AI-optimised facility in Ajman, marking a significant step in the expansion of high-density digital infrastructure in the UAE.

The 100MW site, known as QAJ01, is set to become the first certified AI data centre with liquid cooling in the Middle East and North Africa region. Designed to support next-generation AI training and inference, the development reflects growing demand for specialised facilities capable of handling high rack densities and thermal loads.

Uptime Institute’s Tier Certification of Design Documents validates that the facility’s plans meet the requirements of its Tier Standard for Topology. It confirms that once constructed, the data centre can achieve the targeted levels of performance and resilience associated with Tier III classification.

Purpose-built for AI workloads

Located in Ajman, QAJ01 will comprise 20 data halls, each delivering 5MW of IT capacity. The modular layout is intended to enable phased deployment and flexible operations while supporting hyperscale tenants and AI-specific workloads.

A defining feature of the facility is its advanced liquid cooling system. As GPU clusters increase in density, traditional air cooling can struggle to manage heat output efficiently. Liquid cooling allows operators to manage higher power densities while maintaining energy efficiency and operational stability.

Abdulmajeed Harmoodi, Chief Technology Officer at Khazna Data Centers, says: “Achieving Tier III certification for our Ajman facility reflects Khazna’s deep commitment to engineering excellence and operational resilience as we scale to meet the AI era. 

“QAJ1 sets a new regional benchmark, combining high-density readiness, advanced liquid cooling, and globally certified design to support the next generation of compute. It is a strategic milestone in our mission to deliver future-ready infrastructure.”

Tier III design validation

Tier III certification requires concurrently maintainable infrastructure, meaning critical components can be taken offline for maintenance without disrupting IT operations. For AI facilities expected to host continuous training and inference workloads, this level of redundancy is essential.

Mustapha Louni, CBO at Uptime Institute, says: “This Tier Certification marks an important advancement for the regional digital infrastructure ecosystem. 

“Khazna’s AI-optimised facility integrates liquid cooling and high-density configurations while maintaining Tier III level resilience. 

“It demonstrates how data centres can evolve to meet the accelerating compute needs of AI without compromising reliability or efficiency.”

The certification of design documents is the first stage in Uptime Institute’s Tier process. It assesses architectural and engineering plans before construction is completed. Once built, facilities can pursue Tier Certification of Constructed Facility to verify that implementation aligns with approved designs.

Expanding regional capacity

Khazna’s UAE portfolio now includes 30 data centres, with 22 having achieved Tier III Certification of Constructed Facility awards. The addition of QAJ01 expands both scale and technical capability within the company’s footprint.

At 100MW total IT load, the Ajman development is the largest in Khazna’s portfolio. Its scale reflects the shift towards AI-centric campuses capable of hosting hyperscale deployments and large GPU clusters.

For the regional market, the combination of Tier III design validation and liquid cooling integration signals a move towards facilities engineered specifically for AI rather than adapted from legacy enterprise builds.

As construction progresses, QAJ01 will add significant high-density capacity to the UAE’s digital infrastructure landscape, aligning global certification standards with emerging AI workload requirements.