Why Data Centers Must Prioritize Environmental Sustainability: Four Key Drivers

Data center operators have focused on efficiency and sustainability over the last two decades. The four key drivers prompting data center operators to prioritize environmental sustainability are: 1) Customer requirements; 2) Government regulations; 3) Business value; and 4) ESG investment. Today, the focus is expanding beyond evaluating and measuring efficiency into environmental sustainability including renewable energy, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water, waste, and land & biodiversity but impending reporting requirements are emerging. Governmental regulations are evolving from providing suggested metrics and guiding data center owners on pathway to decarbonization to mandatory regulations and reporting.