Sustainability is becoming a key issue for colocation / multi-tenant data centers. This is shown by a current study carried out by 451 Research on behalf of Schneider Electric under 800 Providers of data center space for third parties from 19 countries. According to this 87 percent of the respondents believe that sustainability will be a very important or important differentiating factor in competition in three years’ time. Three quarters of those surveyed already consider sustainability to be an important or very important characteristic.

When asked which factors drive efficiency and sustainability initiatives, According to the study, the respondents named primarily customer requirements (50%), continued long-term operational stability (40%), Regulatory requirements (36%), cost savings, public opinion (each 35%) and competitive pressure (30%). At 74 percent of data center operators, all or most of the customers are already demanding clauses on efficiency and sustainability in their contracts.

Climate change anticipated In addition to the customers’ sustainability wishes, climate change is already casting a long shadow on the planning and operation of data centers. For example, 50 percent of respondents said they liked their technology choices, and 49 Percent that you adjust your choice of location to new temperature conditions, available water quantities and the like. 43 percent are preparing for more extreme weather, 40 Percentage of frequent floods.

Nearly 90 Percent of the surveyed operators of colocation data centers believe that efficiency and sustainability will be a decisive differentiator on the data center market in three years.

(Image: 451 Research / Schneider Electric)

Unsurprisingly under these circumstances, 43 percent an overarching strategic and 41 Percent a topic-specific sustainability program with regard to the conception, construction and planning of the data center infrastructure. 24 percent of the companies surveyed have a dedicated company-wide sustainability budget, 43 percent an efficiency and sustainability budget for central Data center infrastructure and IT and others 18 Percent of one that only affects the data center infrastructure.

At 56 Percent of the companies there is a central reporting on data center operating parameters such as utilization, PUE or energy consumption, 25 percent are considering it. At least 12 Percent ran corresponding tests, but were abandoned. The PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) is predominantly comprehensive (51%) or site-specific (38%), only 9 percent follow this Not worth it. Measuring the effective use of water is also widespread (depending on 40% organization-wide or site-specific).

Measures for more sustainability The measures taken are currently focused on optimizing or updating the electricity distribution infrastructure (in each case 47%) and the update (40%) or optimization (36%) of the cooling infrastructure. In addition, 35% try to increase the server load . Other strategies that are now increasingly required – i.e. other concepts and raw materials in data center construction, resource-saving software, waste heat utilization and similar synergy concepts – do not seem to be very relevant in practice.

In the opinion of the respondents, one above all needs sufficient technical knowledge and experience (73%), money (71%) and a strategic focus on sustainability (56%).

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