Making data centers more sustainable and cost-efficient: to measure is to know

To measure is to know

If you want to take the right actions, however, it is essential to have a good understanding of the current situation of your data center(s). To help, we released a new whitepaper, which provides a perfect framework for measuring emissions, but also suggests practical solutions.

Highlights of the whitepaper include:  

• An approach to managing a hypothetical 1 megawatt data center with a focus on Scope 3 emissions and suggested actions for improvements.
•  Advice on standardized measurement methods and what to measure, such as fuel- and energy-related activities, upstream transportation and distribution.
•  And 'last but not least': a free "Data Centre Lifecycle CO2e Calculator" that helps to estimate the total carbon footprint (Scope 1, 2 and 3) for all emissions throughout the value chain, including indirect emissions.   

With this whitepaper, we aim to support data center managers in identifying and categorizing emissions from their own operations as well as from the supply chain. In this way, companies can set the right priorities to reduce CO2 emissions as efficiently as possible, and lower costs!  

An important note: proposed regulations in the US and EU make accounting for and reporting Scope 3 emissions a future requirement, so proactivity in this area is an absolute must.

Software plays a key role

Software (NL-FR) plays an important role in the analysis phase, but of course also to ultimately reduce emissions and costs.

IT optimization tools, a function of data center infrastructure management or DCIM (NL-FR) monitor server usage and power consumption at a rack and individual server level. These tools help reduce overall IT energy consumption by avoiding overprovisioning and underutilization.

Construction management software such as RIB software provides opportunities to evaluate and improve sustainability in a digital version before deploying the building in the physical world. Through accurate modeling managing the construction process, low carbon products can be selected, and construction waste can be reduced, improving overall Scope 3 emissions of the building.