Welcome

EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres

Background to the EU Code of Conduct for

Data Centres

Mike Walker

Sustainable Energy Using Products

What we do

• Increase the sustainability of energy using products

by means of a range of product policies

• EU wide minimum energy performance and energy

labelling standards

• Supply chain and international engagement, including

Codes of Conduct

... aimed at meeting the 2009 Low Carbon Transition

Plan commitment to save 15 MtCO2 pa by 2020 in

the UK

Product Policy Scenarios

Development of the policy

• Defra works on setting EU Ecodesign minimum

standards and Energy Labelling for energy using

products.

• Product specific ecodesign minimum energy

performance standards that might affect a data

centre system:

• Ecodesign goes some way to reduce energy

consumption of data centres, but not enough or

appropriate to address the whole system!

• Lighting

• Air con

• Fans

• Computers / Displays (late 2012)

• Servers (after 2013)

Development of the policy (2)

• EU electricity consumption of data centres was 56

TWh in 2007 and is expected to rise to 104 TWh by

2020

• A holistic approach is needed to reduce these figures

• No clear EU regulatory or voluntary initiatives in

place:

• Risk of confusion for stakeholders

• Mixed messages

• Uncoordinated activities

Mandatory vs Voluntary initiative

• Very difficult to regulate data centres using minimum

energy performance standards under Ecodesign:

• Fast changing technology

• Every system is different

• How to enforce?

• Benefits of a voluntary approach:

• Flexibility for different types of data centres

• Flexibility to follow technological progress

• Can target many different stakeholders

... So a voluntary approach favoured to address data

centres – the EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres

What is the Code of Conduct for data

centres?

• EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres developed by

European Commission’s JRC, with support from

Defra, BCS & other stakeholders and launched in

London in November 2008

• Code of Conduct “multipurpose” helping to:

• Raise awareness;

• Set targets;

• Support procurement;

• Provide reference for other participants.

• Designed to trigger action for a data centre to improve

energy performance through adoption of best

practices and to recognise those who do so.

• Signatory status for Participants and Endorsers

Why should you sign up?

• Greener and more efficient data centres

• Large CO2 savings

• Large cost savings

• Procurement tool - CoC Logo makes you stand

out from your competitors

• Corporate Social Responsibility targets

.

Snapshot of UK Government activity

• Cabinet Office GDU working on Greening Government ICT with

greener standards for data centres

• Greening Government ICT Strategy with commitment to adopt

CoC by April 2012; sign up as Endorsers by April 2013; sign up

new data centres as Participants from April 2014 onwards

• Greening Government ICT Roadmap

• Green ICT Workbook

• Maturity Model

• All available at: https://update.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-

library/uk-government-ict-strategy-resources

Snapshot of CoC activity within UK

Government

• Defra signed up as Endorser in 2010 and our IT

providers are a Corporate Participant to the CoC

• Working with other Government Departments to help

sign up as Endorsers (many already require IT

providers to be Participants)

• Looking to include aspects of the Code in the upcoming

Government Buying Standards for Data Centres

• Exploring options to increase visibility and support on

the Code in the UK

What is Defra doing?

A request for information....

• Want to assess benefits of the CoC in the UK

• Looking to assemble case studies to get a

snapshot of savings, implementation issues and

recommendations across the UK

• If willing to take part, contact:

• Efficient.products@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Thanks!

http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/energyefficiency/html

/standby_initiative_data_centers.htm

EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres website:

Defra SEUP website:

http://efficient-products.defra.gov.uk/

efficient.products@defra.gsi.gov.uk