As the world evolves toward a carbon neutral future, commercial real estate owners are prioritizing environmental objectives to reduce building emissions, but some property types face an arduous journey to meet these goals. Data centers are at the top of that list. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that these specialized properties use 10 to 50 times more energy per floor space than the average commercial office building, and they account for 2% of the total electrical use in the U.S.
Data centers are voracious consumers of energy, but owners and operators have been moving in the right direction. According to JLL’s Global Data Center Outlook Report, the sector has steadily reduced its power usage effectiveness (PUE) score over the last 15 years from 2.5 in 2006 to a record low of 1.57 last year. (A score of 1 indicates 100% energy effectiveness.) Despite this progress, meeting new environmental benchmarks is becoming markedly onerous. Data center owners must balance internal business goals with rigorous customer requirements.