In 2007, the European Commission's EURid introduced what is known as the EU Code of Conduct for data centres and other technology-related businesses. The Code of Conduct is a framework the Commission believes will be helpful in reducing power consumption among Europe's data centres. Leading the way is Equinix, a global interconnection and data centre company that just recently announced the EU has awarded them Corporate Participant status.

Being awarded the status is a testament to the company's dedication to energy efficiency and environmental management whenever they design and build a new facility. In the world of data centre news, their announcement is a big one given the fact that companies making the effort to be energy efficient are more attractive to data centre customers. According to Equinix CMO Dick Theunissen, the award is a “great testament” to his company's commitment to advancing energy efficiency standards through their data centres. He went on to say, “it further validates our commitment to leading the data centre industry on energy management and design.” As a global provider of data centre services, Equinix operates 30 facilities across Europe. In order to be certified as a Corporate Participant, they submitted best practice documentation and other data proving compliance to Code of Conduct standards at seven of their facilities in Europe. Those facilities are located in the UK, France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland. Furthermore, Equinix has developed an energy management framework that is now an industry leader with both ISO 50001 and ISO 140001 certification. They were the first data centre company in Europe to earn ISO 50001 certification and, as a result, they have been a key player in helping to develop the standards now endorsed by the Code of Conduct.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

The old proverb “necessity is the mother of invention” has been around at least since the days of Plato. It rings as true today as it did when it was first coined. The proverb is clearly demonstrated through the efforts of both Equinix and the European Commission's Code of Conduct. As data centre capacity increases, so does energy consumption for both power and cooling needs. With that increased power consumption comes increased environmental concerns and less energy that can be used by other industries. At the explosive rate the data centre industry has been expanding over the last decade, it was just a matter of time before energy efficiency became a major focus. Then necessity of continuing to meet our energy consumption needs now and in the future requires the development of new technologies. In advancing the EU Code of Conduct, Equinix is leading the way where others will eventually follow. For them, being awarded the status of Corporate Participant is something of which to be proud. It is also likely to be motivation to drive the company forward in continuing to develop energy-efficient data centre solutions.