Data centres, along with telecommunications networks, provide the digital infrastructure that supports the modern internet economy. They have become a vital component in our daily lives, from reading through our emails first thing in the morning, accessing files in the cloud throughout the day and streaming content in the evening. Providing access to data 24/7 requires a constant and reliable supply of electricity, therefore energy efficiency is at the top of the agenda for the data centre industry.
The UK Government has set challenging carbon reduction targets, with a commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. There are also global reduction targets in place such as the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty committed to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, among others. All these frameworks place substantial challenges and efforts to reduce emissions across all industries and sectors, including the data centre.
Our environmental commitment
Telehouse is working to embed environmentally sustainable best practices in its data centre operations and concentrate business resources in areas seen as high risk or that have significant carbon emissions. We strive to adopt the highest standards and behaviours across our operations to enhance energy efficiency, competitiveness and to reduce our environmental impact.
At Telehouse, we are committed to conducting business in an ethical, social and environmentally responsible manner. We have also been developing effective environmental strategies and policies focused on climate change action, energy efficiency and green procurement, which support the carbon reduction ambitions of many of our stakeholders.
To further support our sustainability strategy and reduce our carbon footprint, we are proud to have implemented the policy to source electricity for the London Docklands data centre campus from only 100% renewable sources, such as wind and solar power. Addressing where your energy comes from is one of the most crucial steps in operating a clean energy infrastructure and by doing so we have contributed to reduce our carbon footprint.
We also have been adopting appropriate international ISO standards in Environment and Energy Management (ISO 14001:2015 & ISO 50001:2011) to minimise the environmental impact in our day-to-day operations and improve energy performance.
Further measures have been put in place to improve the energy efficiency of our data centre operations, such as the replacement of dry air coolers with a new system incorporating efficient fans and improved controls. We have also continued our programme of lighting upgrade at our Docklands Data Centre, replacing fluorescent fittings with energy-efficient LED lighting.
Going above and beyond
We recognise our responsibility to act and ensure compliance with applicable regulations, laws and best practices. In October 2014, Telehouse entered into a Climate Change Agreement (CCA) with the Environment Agency. PUE (CCA) targets have been met and we remain focused on the implementation of energy efficiency projects year on year.
In November 2017, Telehouse entered into the European Union scheme for Emissions Trading which is set up to monitor and measure CO2 emissions from fuel consumption. Environmental permit requirements have also been met and we remain focused on the implementation of projects to improve the reduction of CO2 emissions from the combustion of fuels.
In June 2019, the Environmental Agency granted Telehouse an Environmental permit that regulates emissions and air quality for combustion plants. Telehouse’s annual energy consumption and associated relevant greenhouse gas emissions data has been reported in our Financial report (2019-2029) as required. The above demonstrates our commitment to reduce carbon emissions and to ensure excellent standards of legal compliance.
At Telehouse, we choose to actively participate in voluntary standards, regulations and frameworks because we recognise their value in increasing our energy performance and reducing energy expenditure for operators and customers. We also choose to adhere to non-voluntary guidelines in Energy Efficiency which provide data centre operators with recommendations for improving efficiency.
Working in collaboration and transparency
We are committed to helping our customers understand the energy impacts of their digital activities. Data centres are commercial businesses rather than consumer facing organisations, therefore being transparent about energy consumption is significantly important for us as it enables our customers to identify their own emissions arising from outsourced activities. We help customers to understand their energy impacts by providing information on their digital activities and being transparent about the energy they use on behalf of others.
Delivering solutions that protect the environment while providing the best possible value and service to all users is no easy feat, but at Telehouse we will continue to work alongside regulators and industry bodies to keep refining and improving our commitment to improve standards and achieve long term improvements.
For more information, read more about our corporate and social sustainability commitments