SUSTAINABILITY
“ All industries have an obligation to minimise their impact on the environment and the data centre industry is no exception ,” Maloney says . “ At CyrusOne , we recognise that building and operating large data centres leads to a geographic concentration of environmental impacts , even if the total impact is reduced compared to the inefficiencies of smaller data rooms .
“ Being a leader in this industry means embracing our responsibility for reducing those impacts . This includes efficient governance practices and also having a positive impact on our teammates , community members , suppliers and our customers .”
He continues : “ Transparency is a guiding principle in our efforts and we have released annual sustainability reports detailing our ESG strategy and progress towards our ambitious goals . Some of our most recent milestones include powering our facilities with more than 50 % of zero carbon sources and restoring more water than we use for all of our data centres in regions with extremely high water stress .”
Strategy , site selection , sustainability : Three pillars crucial to ESG success Moloney believes that data centre location can impact ESG success . “ To support our success in a particular location we undergo a
“ All industries have an obligation to minimise their impact on the environment and the data centre industry is no exception ”
MARK MOLONEY DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY IN EUROPE , CYRUSONE
rigorous site selection process ,” he explains . “ When reviewing potential new locations , we focus on sites that are already designated for data centres or similar uses via zoning , or in existing planned developments such as technology or business parks .
“ This selection process , which includes assessments of environmental impact and protected areas , provides us with confidence that our facilities will not have adverse effects on important wildlife habitats .”
He continues : “ By thoroughly understanding the sensitive ecosystems present on or near our sites , we can proactively anticipate and address potential impacts during the site selection process . We also use climate risk assessment techniques to evaluate factors such as future flood risk and water stress that may impact our operational success .”
Now more than ever , those within the industry are seeking to prioritise energy efficiency and reduce power consumption at data centre sites .
To this , Moloney says : “ As we advance towards our Climate Neutral by 2030 goal , we consider the carbon emissions intensity of the local electricity grid and the local availability of renewable energy purchasing opportunities . All aspects of
76 December 2023