Criteria for Sustainable Digital Infrastructure

Sustainability Category
Name
Impact
Goal
Materials
Environmental
Zero waste and full circularity of materials
Energy
Environmental
Efficient use of energy & responsive to renewable power generation
Emissions
Environmental
No carbon emissions added
Water
Environmental
No waste of rainwater or graywater
Biodiversity
Environmental
Increase biodiversity through adaptive construction and operations
Health & well-being
Societal
Contribute to well-being of employees and residents
Social activity & culture
Societal
Process and organization reflect the needs of all stakeholders. Ensure activities that structurally support the well-being and existence of unique human cultures and society
Economic resilient systems
Economic
Ensure durable and adaptable structures and space usage
Environmental Performance Indicators
Name
Category
Description
Standard
Public Reporting
Regulation
Audit-only
Affected Providers
Waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE, tonnes)
Amount of waste relative to amount of total electrical and electronic introduced to the facility/which has been purchased.
Refurbished Replacement Rate (RRR)
Increase Refurbished Replacement Rate (RRR) by measuring the electrical and electronic waste a data centre is producing and keeping track of the materials they are using in order to maintain their equipment. The Refurbished Replacement Rate (RRR), calculates the amount of refurbished parts used for maintenance in relation to the total amount of replaced parts.
IT Equipment Refreshment cycle (years)
In order to reduce electronic waste, the age of the ICT hardware that the operator or owner replaces with new models will be measured in an absolute number in years.
Electronics Disposal Efficiency (EDE)
Increase Electronics Disposal Efficiency (EDE) through better recycling of parts. The Electronics disposal efficiency (EDE) is a performance metric used to evaluate the percentage of electronic disposals that have been completed in an environmentally responsible way. This metrics shows how responsible the operator is at disposing of their equipment. Responsible disposal is defined as reuse or recycling actions.
Abiotic depletion potential (ADP)
Reach zero rare materials consumption monitored through the metric for Abiotic Depletion. Abiotic depletion connects the resource consumption of an organisation with the rarity of this fossil resource. It uses the Abiotic depletion potential which is a dimensionless metric that compares the extraction rate of a resource with the ultimate reserve that we have in the world.
Total Energy from Renewable Sources (kWh)
Calculation of the net energy consumption of a data centre that is fed in by the grid, multiplied by the CO2-equivalent of the local energy grid added with the CO2- Emissions of the back up generator in case it is running on fossil fuels.
Carbon Usage Effectiveness (CUE)
Create insight and map the progress of the effectiveness of the carbon emitted in support on the operation of the data centre and the resulting digital carbon footprint through the publication of the CUE
ISO/IEC 30134-8 / EN 50600-4-8
EU EED
Renewable Energy Factor (REF)
Create insight and map the progress of the amount of renewable energy consumed by the data centre.
ISO/IEC 30134-3 / EN 50600-4-3
EU EED
Server Idling Energy Co-Efficient (SIEC)
Measure the amount of energy being wasted from servers which are underutilized
Umweltbundesamt (Work In Progress)
Cooling Efficiency Ratio (CER)
Install a leaner Cooling System and improve Data Centre Heat Utilisation through the CER metric. The metric gives an indication of how efficient the cooling system operates in this specific data centre and should be used as an KPI to measure improvements.
ISO/IEC 30134-7 / EN 50600-4-7
Total Direct Cooling Energy (kWh)
Total amount of energy-used per year to power all cooling systems present at the facility
Total Re-Used Energy (kWh)
If the facility is ejecting waste-heat which is recovered & used by a third-party, it can be counted as ‘re-used’ energy
Total Flexilibility Capacity provided to the grid operator (kWh)
If the facility is providing demand-response capacity, even if it’s not called upon, it should be recovered here.
Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE)
Achieve PUE <1.2
ISO/IEC 30134-2:2016
EU EED
Energy Reuse Factor (ERF)
Install a leaner Cooling System and improve Data Centre Heat Utilisation through the ERF metric. The metric gives an indication of how much energy has been reused with the aim to increase this ratio over time.
ISO/IEC 30134-6 / EN 50600-4-6
EU EED
IT Hardware Utilisation Efficiency (%)
Measuring the efficiency of the IT hardware installed through its utilisation rate or idle state.
ETSI EN 303 470 SPEC SERT™v2
Network Hardware Utilisation Efficiency (%)
Measuring the efficiency of the IT network equipment installed through its utilisation rate or idle state.
Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE)
This metric takes into account water used for cooling, regulating humidity and producing electricity on-site
ISO/IEC 30134-9 / EN 50600-4-9
EU EED
Nitrous Oxide (NOx)
pollution
Sulphur dioxide (SOx)
pollution
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC)
pollution
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC)
pollution
Sustainability Activities
Name
Category
EPI
Description
Relevant for Providers
Regulation
Standard
Time Horizon
Activity Category
Components
A mobility plan for employees
A mobility plan for employees must be drawn up aimed at reducing car mobility (stimulating bicycle and public transport use). Part of this plan is to realise special parking spaces for shared cars on the site. By stimulating the use of shared cars, the amount of car kilometers can be reduced.
Achieve a CO2 neutral data center
Calculation of the net energy consumption of a data centre that is fed in by the grid, multiplied by the CO2-equivalent of the local energy grid added with the CO2- Emissions of the back up generator in case it is running on fossil fuels.
2050
Energy Integration
Operations
Achieve PUE <1.2
Local policy
2024
Energy Efficiency
Electrical Equipment
Mechanical Equipment
Building
Operations
Achieve zero-(Fresh) Water Cooling System
2024
Water
Building
Mechanical Equipment
Assess water safety & Flood prevention
Assess the effect of the development of the Data Centre on the Water safety and flood prevention policy of the province and develop a set of measures to mitigate the effects.
Carbon intensity of energy consumptions of the building
Non-IT related equipment Achieve a Net Zero Energy Building though the calculation of the net energy consumption of a data centre that is fed in by the grid.This number is multiplied by the CO2-equivalent of the local energy grid and to this the CO2-Emissions of the back up generator in case it is running on fossil fuels are added.
2030
Energy Integration
Building
Categorize water input (potable, non-potable, rainwater, energy-related) and output (non-industrial, industrial reuse)
2024
Water
Building
Mechanical Equipment
Circular Design of Building & Landscape
2024
Building Materials
Mechanical Equipment
Electrical Equipment
Building
Landscaping
Circular Design of the building & landscaping
Implement and follow the recommendations of the circylytics tool of the Ellen MacArthur foundation. Use the 9R principle in the design of the building and the landscaping
2024
Building Materials
Landscaping
Closed soil balance
Developers should maintain a closed ground balance on site. Reuse of all emerging soil and building material within the plot/plan area. It must be demonstrated that the quality of the soil supplied is better than that of the soil present
2024
Soil
Building
Landscaping
Clusters
New data centers can only be build in clusters in the vicinity of existing data centre infrastructure
Commit to Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact
Join the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, implement and adhere to the goals set out by the pact.
2024
Reporting
Societal Responsibility
Community manager
Allocated the role of Community Manager within the organisation to manage and keep the contact with the local community.
Connect to public heat network or to be capture ready
Goal is to ensure the residual heat of the data centre shall be used to supply the local (envisaged) public heat network and its subsequent users. Ensure that the data centre is ready to connect to the public heat network or be ready by having a physical connection ready and a technical room reserved to upgrade the heat to the required temperature for the heat network. The required electrical capacity for the installation of the heat pump needs to be contracted with the grid operator and the heat pump needs to be powered by renewable energy sources.
2026
Energy Integration
Electrical Equipment
Mechanical Equipment
Building
Connectivity
Only data centres with the need for hyperconnectivity are allowed within the current clusters in Amsterdam, Haarlemmermeer (Polanenpark) and Hollands Kroon.
Decrease Resource consumption (ADP)
2024
Building Materials
Building
Landscaping
Demonstrate that the quality of soil supplied is better than that of the soil present
2024
Soil
Building
Landscaping
Extend material life in building, equipment, landscaping
Extend material life by reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufactured or repurpose. For each of the reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufactured or repurpose goals at least one measure should be taken. Also insight should be provided in the quantity (volume/weight/euros)
2026
Building Materials
Building
Landscaping
Flexible and demountable building
Here indicator could be something like circularity of construction materials
The building can be made suitable for a different function without large-scale structural adjustments. In addition, construction should be demountable as much as possible so that used materials can be reused at another location in the future, without loss of quality.
Floor Space Index
Intensification of use of space. Use lots more intensively by integrating multiple functions.
Minimum requirement 1.0 FSI
Green building surface
2024
Building Materials
Building
Green building surface
Apply and maintain a green surface through proper design. Irrigation of the green facade must take place as much as possible through the use of collected rainwater. Maintenance, management and water supply of the green facades must be an integral part of the beheerplan (including, but not limited to, the facade maintenance plan). The building surface visible from the public road consists of a green facade.
Implement nearly-zero energy and zero-emission building plan
Nearly-zero energy buildings, is a requirement introduced by the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive EU/31/2010 (revised in 2018). It means that all new buildings – as of 2020 - must have a high energy performance and very low-energy needs, covered largely by onsite and nearby renewable energy sources.  Zero-emission buildings As for nearly-zero energy buildings, the very small amount of energy still required for zero-emission buildings is covered by energy from on-site and nearby renewable energy sources, including from renewable energy communities and efficient district heating and cooling
2030
Building Materials
Building
Implement onsite renewable power generation
Increase the share of local generated renewable electricity in the overall consumption of electricity of the data centre. The Data Centre has the obligation to make an effort to install solar panels and a battery energy storage system for the storage of the energy from the solar panels.
2026
Energy Integration
Electrical Equipment
Building
Improve health and well-being of employees
Obtain the WELL Building Standard that focuses specifically on the health and well-being of employees with the aim of buildings that contribute to promoting and protecting the health and well-being of users. Quick scan of measures that are in line with WELL aspects.
Increase efficiency with parking garage
Replacement of parking at ground level by built parking. More efficient use of the lot by stacking cars. At least 90% parking spaces in a multi-storey garage, where the requirement of green facades also applies.
Install charging poles for electric vehicles
Ensure the availability of sufficient charging points and underlying infrastructure for future expansion of the demand for electrical charging.
2024
Employees
Societal Responsibility
Install independent building energy management system
Application of a management system to centrally control and connect all installations in a building. Energy is used intelligently, whereby losses are avoided as much as possible and, where possible, lower forms of energy (such as heat) are avoided. Data gathered by the Building Energy Management System can be accessed by authorised parties.
EU EED (Environmental Management System)
2024
Energy Efficiency
Operations
Install your own 150 kV sub-station
Data centre with a grid connection > 80 MVA is required to install its own 150 kV purchase station equipped with a GIS-installation
2024
Energy Integration
Electrical Equipment
Integration inside and outside terrain
The users are encouraged to go outside and the possibilities of creating workplaces outside are being looked at. Connections are made inside and outside the plot, whereby users are encouraged to use the terrain around the plot for walking, to meet each other, they should feel safe there and experience the ecological surroundings.
Limit light nuisance for fauna
Adapt fauna friendly outdoor lighting. Outdoor lighting installations must comply with guidelines in accordance with light pollution of the Dutch Foundation for Lighting Science (NSVV).
Monitoring of energy and water
Making real-time data available with regard to energy and water consumption through smart metres. Integrated management of real-time data that is relevant for the sustainability and circularity of business parks. The information must be made available to the environmental service.
Nature-inclusive building
Contribute to biodiversity (Delta Plan for Biodiversity Recovery) by designing the facades and roof that includes nature.
Procurement 100% renewable energy
The data centre should procure 100% renewable energy to power its data centre to achieve a Renewable Energy Factor (REF) of 100%. The REF is defined in ISO/IEC 30134-3 / EN 50600-4-3 and describes the percentage of renewable energy over the total data centre energy.
EU EED, EPBD
ISO/IEC 30134-3 / EN 50600-4-3
2024
Energy Integration
Electrical Equipment
Building
Realise special parking spaces for shared cars on the site
A mobility plan for employees must be drawn up aimed at reducing car mobility (stimulating bicycle and public transport use). Part of this plan is to realise special parking spaces for shared cars on the site. By stimulating the use of shared cars, the amount of car kilometers can be reduced.
Realize Zero-Pollution Backup Power
Aim to achieve the removal of pollution power and cooling systems, notably the emissions of Nitrous Oxide (NOx), Sulphur dioxide (SOx) and Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) / Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC)
2026
Pollutants
Mechanical Equipment
Realize Zero-Pollution Cooling Systems
Aim to achieve the removal of pollution power and cooling systems, notably the emissions of Nitrous Oxide (NOx), Sulphur dioxide (SOx) and Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) / Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC)
2026
Pollutants
Mechanical Equipment
Recycling of Parts for Mechanical & Electrical Equipment
2024
Building Materials
Mechanical Equipment
Electrical Equipment
Reduce material use in construction, building and landscaping
Reduce material use through Refuse, rethink and reduce. For each of the refuse, rethink or reduce goals at least one measure should be taken. Also insight should be provided in the quantity (volume/weight/euros)
2024
Building Materials
Landscaping
Building
Require Zero-Pollution Manufacturing in Procurement of Building Materials and Equipment
Achieve zero-pollution manufacturing in the supply chain through procurement criteria.
2024
Procurement
Building
Mechanical Equipment
Electrical Equipment
Reuse material in construction, building
Reuse of material through recycling. For each of the recycle goals at least one measure should be taken. Also insight should be provided in the quantity (volume/weight/ euros). Recycle: Process material to obtain the same (high quality) or lower (low quality) quality. Use of materials with a low environmental impact during the entire exploitation period/life cycle of the area. It is encouraged to use materials with substantiated/responsible origin. The aim is to achieve a high releasability index.
2024
Building Materials
Building
Landscaping
Sense of Place: Landscape and culture history
Developments must comply with provincial policy, such as the Landscape and Cultural History Guideline.
Separate waste collection
Waste is separated at source. Ensure that facilities are aimed at waste separation at source, for example waste separation bins, into 5 types of waste: organic waste/paper/plastic/glass/wood (pallets). If there is another tenant/user, include this obligation in the rental agreement.
2024
Waste
SMART energy efficient lighting
Building installations for lighting are made SMART, which means that consumption and use is monitored, improved and controlled (eg, LED, sensoring and automatic control). Energy is used intelligently, whereby losses are avoided as much as possible and, where possible, lower forms of energy (such as heat) are avoided. The energy consumption is verifiably (by means of a plan) reduced by 20%.
2024
Energy Efficiency
Electrical Equipment
Stimulate exercise by workers; reducing car use
Easily accessible bicycle shed and plenty of bicycle parking spaces on site. Make facilities to take a shower. Setting up a bicycle sharing system for employees or offering a discount on the purchase of bicycles.
Stimulate native flora and fauna
Site plan should use 100% circular materials and stimulate native flora and fauna. Greenery will be given a prominent place on/ in facades, at ground level, boundary and/or on roof terraces. A Flora and Fauna plan will be delivered with an ecological vision that complements the public area.
Site plan should use 100% circular materials and stimulate native flora and fauna. Greenery will be given a prominent place on/in facades, at ground level, boundary and/or on roof terraces. A Flora and Fauna plan will be delivered with an ecological vision that complements the public area.
Stimulate usage of car sharing services by reserving parking for car sharing near entrance of building
Special parking spaces for shared cars on site. Reducing the number of car kilometers by stimulating the use of shared cars. Setting up a shared car/carpool system for employees.
Sustainability as Purchasing Criterion for ICT Equipment
Increase the share of standardised hardware via procurement criteria as much as possible. To measure the degree of standardisation of IT hardware the amount of certified hardware (e.g. TCO certified) is compared to the total number of non-certified hardware.
2026
ICT Equipment Materials
Operations
IT Hardware & Equipment
Network Equipment
Underground 10 or 20 kV cables
All 20kV, medium voltage (MV) feeders from the substation to the MV switchgear and the MV switchgear to the COLO loop shall be installed underground.
2024
Energy Integration
Electrical Equipment
Urban plan and Image Quality Plan
Elaboration of the urban plan and image quality plan is a precondition. The urban plan contains the spatial design for the building and the immediate surroundings, with associated maps, profiles, visualisations, etc. The image quality plan contains preconditions for use of materials, colour, method of integration of greenery and solar panels on roofs and facades and the adjacent site. It is aimed at maximum integration. In order to better relate the development of a data centre to other developments and to the landscape, it is also recommended to draw up a master plan or area vision.
Use Biobased materials in the building, construction and landscaping
Usage of biobased materials for storage of CO2 in building materials. Design of the datacenter should make an impact on a positive CO2 balance (note the embedded energy and the footprint of the entire life cycle: production materials and components, transport, realisation, processing for reuse).
2024
Building Materials
Building
Landscaping
Zero Rare Materials Consumption in the Building & Landscaping
2040
Building Materials
Mechanical Equipment
Electrical Equipment
Building
Landscaping
Zero Rare Materials Consumption in the ICT Equipment
2050
ICT Equipment Materials
IT Hardware & Equipment
Solutions
Name
Related activity
Relevant for Providers
Impact Metric
Offer customer a guideline document on reducing electronic waste through refurbishment and recycling
Offer customer financial incentive to allow on-site recovery, refurbishment and recycling of electronic equipment
Conduct an annual customer survey on end-of-life practices and use results for anonymized, aggregated reporting
Create an internal service-marketplace where customers can find local vendors for refurbishment, recycling, and re-use of ICT equipment
Track the total weight (kg/tonnes) of ICT equipment entering the facility (by weighing it) as well as outgoing electronic waste and track it
Put a Refurbished Replacement Rate in supplier contracts for electrical and mechanical equipment which is in the scope of the facility
Create an internal service market where vendors can offer and list third-party parts and maintenance services and make customers aware
Make an effort to instal solar panels and a battery energy storage system

Notes

  • One could loosely group all the sustainability activities into Building-related (Data Center Infrastructure Provider - DCP) and IT-related (MSPs, CIPs, CSPs, IaaS Providers)
  • Any operator/owner may self-categorize as many of our categories, e.g. a DCP might also be an MSP or a CIP might own data centers as well and thus apply activities from the DCP category
  • The term MOSCOW itself is an acronym derived from the first letter of each of four prioritization categories: M - Must have, S - Should have, C - Could have
  • Electronics = ICT Equipment, Network; Electrical = Lights, Cables, Power Transformers, UPS
  • Landscaping: WADIS and specific plants

Improvement Areas

We are weak on criteria and metrics for circularity
We need to match the criteria with existing TUV Standards and the EU CoC
We should probably host events to get experts to input on these things
We are missing Circularity & soil indicators