The environmental certification mark of the German Federal Environment Agency evaluates the energy-efficient data center operation. This involves the interaction of all measures to increase the efficiency of IT components, climate control and data center infrastructure.

It is a two - step process:

• 1. Measurements , documentation, compliance with the criteria , reporting requirements
• 2. Establish and document possible savings / targets

This is at the basis of several guidelines:

• EU Code of Conduct for Data Center Efficiency
• Concept study at the TU - Berlin for energy and resource efficiency in the operation of RZ (benchmarking)
• BITKOM Guide " energy efficiency of data centers"
• Green Grid Initiative

Environmental certification mark demands procedures that allow the efficient use of the existing hardware resources. Furthermore Criteria for granting require the energy efficiency of individual hardware components of a data center (for example, server and communication technology, power and air conditioning). It is assumed also the establishment of an energy monitoring and an energy management system in the company.

The standard RAL_UZ 161 has requirements to:

• Management and Operations
• Existing hardware components of a data center ( for example, server and communication technology)
• Air conditioning equipment and method
• Environmental criteria in procurement of ICT products

Monitoring contains the following points:

• Current - status detection,
• Annual energy and IT load monitoring,
• Annual Efficiency Report: improvements during time span.

Target: is to be able to provide energy-efficient performance with minimal hardware. Only with the inclusion of resource and energy efficiency criteria can be assured that the certified products or services can make a contribution to climate protection and resource conservation.

Target group: operator and / or service provider data centers

Benefits:

• Efficient use of existing information and communication technology (ICT)
• Intelligent power supply
• Strict requirements on the selection of ICT
• Efficient air conditioning equipment and method
• Savings in investment costs and valuable raw materials for new servers
• Reduction of energy costs
• Saving valuable energy resources for operation and air conditioning

Companies that have already successfully acquired the environmental certification mark, protect environment, and thereby making an active contribution to environmental protection and to success of energy turnaround.

More Information you can also find here

Registration for "Blauer Engel" you can do here