Achieve More Sustainable Data Centers Through Your Technology Partnerships

By now, we all know that the data center industry is experiencing exponential growth and expansion, and it's only just beginning. We are seeing announcements highlighting new 100, 250, and 500-megawatt data centers worldwide at unprecedented scale.

Recent headlines in the news and across the web call attention to a problem in the industry. They highlight the social and environmental impact of this rapid data center construction boom, raising red flags about its sustainability and unexpected consequences.

“Plans for Massive Data Center Linked to Nuclear Power Spark Debate…” — CT Examiner

“Now, what the heck do we do about data centers?” — Virginia Mercury

“A New Surge in Power Use is Threatening U.S. Climate Goals” — New York Times

These articles emphasize the potential adverse environmental impacts of rapid building and expansion of data centers, drawing attention to energy consumption, water usage, and electronic waste concerns.

The rapid growth and expansion of data centers presents a powerful opportunity to shape the world for the better. As we grow and establish new data centers, it’s critical to consider our social and environmental impact. Embracing sustainability goals, working towards carbon neutrality, reducing PUE, and adopting a circular economy can play a significant role in building a more sustainable future.

Accomplishing these objectives is not always simple, and choosing technology partners is crucial in ensuring sustainable designs, construction, and operations. Our partners need to understand their contribution to our sustainability initiatives and work with us to cut emissions, reduce energy consumption, and meet corporate and regulatory sustainability. 

Assessing vendors can be daunting, but focusing on a few key considerations can help you determine whether a vendor will be a beneficial partner in your efforts toward an environmentally conscious data center.

1. Look for vendors with a strong sustainability track record who have implemented sustainable practices.
2. Evaluate the vendor’s technology and assess whether it aligns with your sustainability goals.
3. Investigate their policies surrounding energy efficiency, carbon emissions, and waste management.
4. Finally, consider the vendor’s commitment to ongoing sustainability improvements and willingness to work with you to meet yours

Considering these factors will help you identify vendors who align with your sustainability values. These vendors will likely become trusted partners and help you meet your sustainability objectives.

At Legrand, we are committed to helping our customers achieve their sustainability goals. Server Technology helps our customers monitor and control their power consumption with intelligent PDUs and reduce emissions from unnecessary maintenance, making it an environmentally friendly solution that aids data centers in achieving sustainability goals.

We understand that sustainability is a critical concern for everyone, and this post is only the beginning. We recognize the challenges data center providers face in meeting their sustainability goals and the ongoing need for education on these topics.

Learn about additional sustainable strategies that can be implemented to mitigate environmental impacts in data centers. Register for our upcoming webinar, 'Recipes to a Sustainable AI Data Center,' where we will cover new market data from Omdia, application use cases, and readily available products and services that can help address sustainability concerns and objectives in the face of rapidly increasing densities for AI applications. 

Webinar Registration – https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4582618/55594C3B4C75A6E46D18632AC516FC3D?partnerref=EXTLegrandblog