Data center Frontier special report: Green data centers and the sustainability imperative

This Special Report, brought to you by Iron Mountain, was prepared by Data Center Frontier. The report explores how the data center industry is in a unique position to accelerate the adoption of green data centers and sustainable practices.  

The urgent need for Climate action

The urgent need for climate action is writ large in the headlines of 2020. Devastating wildfires have ravaged California, Oregon and Colorado, while a historic series of powerful hurricanes slammed the Gulf Coast. These disasters have been a tipping point in public awareness, driving home the fact that a changed climate is not a future threat, but a current reality.

The data center industry has been a force for positive change on climate action over the past decade, with cloud computing platforms pioneering advances in sustainable operations and corporate adoption of renewable energy. This impact will be amplified in coming years as more businesses abandon carbon-heavy on-premises data centers and migrate to greener infrastructure operated by cloud platforms and colocation facilities.

In this special report, we will examine the role of green data centers as a catalyst for action on climate change, specific strategies that are reducing carbon impact, and the best ways to embrace the sustainability imperative going forward.

The massive energy footprint of cloud computing enables the data center industry to drive a global shift to renewably-powered business. This opportunity is magnified by a digital transformation that is shifting much of our lives to online platforms —a trend that has been dramatically accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for remote work, contactless commerce and automation as tools to reduce viral exposure.

The migration to cloud platforms has slashed the carbon footprint of many IT departments. But it is time for the data center users and operators to raise their game, not just because sustainability is good policy, but because it is good business.

Customers and stakeholders are demanding accountability on climate impact, pushing sustainability near the top of the agenda in selecting sites and providers. The data center industry is in a unique position to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices and reduce the damage to our changing climate.