New BREEAM standard 'to make data centres more sustainable'

Office design news from Morgan Lovell

Published on 05-07-2010

Data centres across the UK are set to become more energy efficient at the announcement of a new sustainable buildings regulation.

The BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) amendment could reduce power usage in facilities of this type by up to 50 per cent.

According to the organisation, constructing a commercial property to the standards outlined in the BREEAM Data Centres 2010 guidelines "encourages the latest design and operational thinking".

Chief executive officer for BRE Global Carol Atkinson said such structures usually use up to ten times more energy than a typical office, while containing fewer staff members.

"This would create a data centre that operates at the highest level of industry efficiency," she went on to claim.

Last month, BRE announced it will be carrying out a series of workshops across the UK in order to assist local authority planners to implement the institution's regulations and create more environmentally-friendly buildings.

Posted by Ian Johnson