TECH & AI
buildings. For new facilities, we use framework standards like BREEAM alongside telemetry data to optimise energy, materials and thermal performance from day one.”
Commercial imperatives and strategic risk management Accurate environmental and operational data is becoming essential from both a regulatory and commercial standpoint. Corporate sustainability began as a framework for understanding environmental impact; today, it is a core driver of operational efficiency and market competitiveness.
“ Requirements around energy efficiency, water use and emissions reporting are becoming more detailed, so operators need robust data to understand their performance and be prepared to report on it,” Chris states.“ ISO 50001 and ISO 14001 programmes help us identify opportunities to improve environmental performance and track progress over time.”
This transparency directly impacts customer relationships, as corporate clients demand verified metrics to fulfill their own Scope 3 emissions commitments.
“ Data is increasingly important to customers,” Chris goes on.“ As organisations face greater scrutiny around their own environmental impact, they need reliable information from suppliers to support their reporting and sustainability commitments. For data centre operators, providing credible data
“As organisations face greater scrutiny around their own environmental impact, they need reliable information from suppliers”
Chris Pennington Senior Director of Energy & Sustainability Iron Mountain Data Centers
on areas such as energy, water and emissions is an important part of the customer relationship as well as a tool for improving efficiency.”
Advanced modelling techniques are taking this risk management a step further. By creating digital twins, operators can run predictive simulations to test how facilities respond to severe climate conditions, heatwaves or power surges without putting real-world uptime at risk.
Gaurav adds:“ Digital twins are particularly useful because they allow operators to test changes to layouts, cooling, power distribution and capacity before intervening in the physical facility. This can reduce operating risk and make investment decisions more evidence-based.”
70 October 2026