At the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center, the focus is on energy efficiency.

A welder cut a water pipe inside the Holyoke center, which will use hydropower and other energy-efficient technologies.

The $95 million center is a joint venture of MIT, Harvard, UMass, Boston University, Northeastern University, EMC Corp., and Cisco Systems.

Power control panels inside the center.

The block-long industrial site was once home to an air bag maker and water filter manufacturer.

The Holyoke site was chosen party because of its hydroelectric facility, said executive director John Goodhue.

The center is expected to use at least 25 percent less energy than the typical data center.

The new 90,000-square-foot building features louvered windows, which can be opened like vents to let in cold air to cool the space.