Data centers form the backbone of digitization, but at the same time they also require a lot of energy. The energy consumption of EU-wide data centers was 76.8 TWh in 2018 and is expected to increase to 98.5 TWh in 2030, according to studies. This would be an increase of 28%. Energy efficiency and sustainability are therefore also increasingly of central importance for data centers.
The new TSE.STANDARD (Trusted Site Energy Efficiency) criteria catalog from TÜViT supports operators, planners and builders of data centers in implementing and objectively demonstrating the most sustainable and energy-efficient operation of their data centers possible. The basis is the step-by-step introduction – and subsequently continuous improvement – of a data center-specific energy management system in accordance with ISO 50001:2018.
For this purpose, TÜViT is now providing market players with the TSE.STANDARD, a new criteria catalog that includes extensive requirements as well as recommendations with degrees of relevance in the form of best practices from the data center industry, such as the EU Code of Conduct and the TR 50600-99-1. Basically, the catalog represents a maturity model for the energy efficiency and sustainability aspects of a data center. It consists of three separate assessment areas: management (MGM), information and communication systems (ICT), infrastructure (INF), and differentiates between four different maturity levels (Levels 1-4). These target gradual improvements in energy requirements within the data center.
“Awareness of energy efficiency and sustainability has also – and above all – increased significantly in the data center sector in recent years. We are therefore pleased that with the new TSE.STANDARD we can play our part in making data centers more environmentally friendly in the future,” says Joachim Faulhaber, Global Product Manager Data Center at TÜViT.
Data center industry players can determine and continuously improve the maturity of their energy management system with appropriate assessment and certification according to TSE.STANDARD. In addition, they prove through an independent third party that they have integrated the topics of energy efficiency and sustainability in their data center and handle valuable resources responsibly.