As one of the largest privately held colocation data center operators in North America, Centersquare is committed to environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies that improve efficiencies, reduce emissions, and ensure we are being good corporate citizens for our employees, customers and society at large. As part of our ESG program, sustainability is a top priority because data centers require significant energy to feed powerful servers that host our customers’ IT infrastructure.
To that end, Centersquare is making strides in sustainability and energy efficiency efforts to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and champion environmental stewardship across our sizable data center footprint. Our ACT (ambitious, calculable, and transparent) mantra keeps us focused on impACTful and ACTionable strategies as we strive to drive long-term value within our portfolio through these goals:
- 100% carbon-free energy by 2030
- 50% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2033, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Better Climate Challenge
- 100% renewable energy and net zero emissions by 2040, a decade ahead of the Paris Climate Agreement
Focusing on Colocation Efficiencies
Data centers are incredibly complex ecosystems, so at Centersquare we are targeting back-end operations and systems to find new efficiencies that move the needle in a positive direction. This includes working to reduce our own energy consumption to increase power capacity for our data center customers. Even seemingly small changes, like adjusting temperature setpoints or utilizing outside air for cooling, can make a significant impact. Centersquare also utilizes building audits and cooling efficiency pilots to identify opportunities for savings that can be applied across the entire portfolio.
For instance, as reported in a Better Buildings case study, we conducted an energy audit in collaboration with an engineering firm and the local electric utility at our Mesa, Ariz. data center to pinpoint opportunities for energy savings without compromising reliability. After reviewing the audit findings, the engineering firm proposed two primary measures: airflow optimization in the data hall and chilled water optimization in the chiller plant. The subsequent retrofit led to Centersquare securing $75,000 in financial incentives through the local utility’s energy efficiency program. In addition, results showcased annual electric savings exceeding 1,240 MWh, equating to over $100,000 in annual electricity cost savings.
Collaboration and Partnerships
Partnerships allow for collaboration, education, and sharing of best practices that provide value to our entire portfolio:
In 2023, we joined the Department of Energy's Better Climate Challenge, committing to a 50% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2033 against a 2024 baseline. This is aligned with our corporate emissions goal. With this partnership comes participation in the Water Savings Network (WSN) and Waste Reduction Network (WRN) that provide guidance on water and waste efforts across our portfolio, as well as access to working groups on various topics.
As a partner in the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program, we utilize its best practices and resources to further enhance energy efficiency in our data centers.
We are a member of the iMasons Climate Accord, a coalition of technology and infrastructure experts dedicated to advancing the design, construction, and operation of digital infrastructure across data centers, networks, cloud computing, energy, and cybersecurity.
Sustainability efforts are most successful when everyone does their part. Centersquare’s Green Team is an employee-led resource group involved in education, advocacy and execution of green initiatives for our employees across the organization.
Visit our ESG page on centersquaredc.com to learn more.
Additional Centersquare data center colocation resources
Overview: Green Financing Framework
Blog: 5 Eco-Friendly Cooling Solutions for High-Density Data Centers and Colocation Sites