Digital Realty Achieves ‘Better Buildings Challenge’ Energy Reduction Goal

Better Buildings is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiative designed to improve our lives by driving leadership in energy innovation. By accelerating investment in responsible technologies and sharing success stories with the public, the initiative aims to preserve a brighter, more sustainable future for all Americans.

As a company deeply committed to sustainability and improving energy efficiency across our footprint of data centers, Digital Realty was eager to be one of the first private participants in the Better Buildings Challenge. With a goal of 20% non-IT energy intensity reduction by 2024, Digital Realty was able to meet that mark ahead of schedule, achieving a cumulative change (over baseline) of 25% by the end of 2016. This accomplishment is a true testament to teamwork, collaboration and effective communication. We couldn’t be more proud of how much has been achieved in just over three years.

Steps that were taken to achieve this significant energy savings include implementing HVAC upgrades like VFD’s, EC fan kits and controls optimizations. Other improvements included air management improvements, containment deployments and SLA modifications to allow for enhanced economizer operation.

Recently, Digital Realty had the honor of being recognized as a goal achiever by the Department of Energy during their Better Buildings Summit on May 16th in Washington, D.C. This was an excellent opportunity to hear other energy reduction success stories and to connect with other business leaders who have taken great strides in the area of sustainability.