BCS Launches Data Centre Efficiency Scheme

With power consumption in data centres an ongoing issue for the industry, the British Computer Society has launched an energy-efficiency accreditation scheme dubbed the Certified Energy Efficiency Data Centre Award (CEEDA).

The Award, which is based on the EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres, has been designed to give data centre operators an independent accreditation and verifiable evidence that their data centre is following energy efficiency best practice.

Last month, data centre specialist Sentrum warned that the EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres was not getting any significant level of support in the UK, and that by mid-2009 only a minority of companies (12 percent) had adopted the EU Code of Conduct. And even worse, it said that in 2010, only 15 percent of large UK organisations had adopted it. The Code has also faced persistent criticism because it is a voluntary scheme.

In September, Gartner warned that energy related costs make up 12 percent of data centre expenditure.

Need For CEEDA

“From our perspective we took a look at other types of accreditation schemes out there in the market, not just UK and Europe, but globally,” said Zahl Limbuwala, chair of BCS data centre specialist group, speaking to eWEEK Europe UK. “Of course we have an EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres, as well other schemes such as BREEAM (a European buildings accreditation scheme) and the US version known as LEED, which is all about sustainability in buildings.”

“Both BREEAM and LEED have sub-sections dealing with data centres, but this was more around sustainability of the actual construction of the data centre, rather than what happens when you turn the lights on,” said Limbuwala.

“There are not a lot of best practise schemes that are specific for data centres, that will help operators improve their energy efficieny,” Limbuwala explained. “We have the EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres, but the issue with that is that it is a self certifying programme. It doesn’t attempt to see what the operator is doing onsite. We felt this represented a void in the market, for operators who are looking for accreditation on energy efficiency in their data centres, but which independently verifies the work they have done.”

“I have spoken to operators and we have seen a lot of demand for something like this. A scheme that gives them a programme that independently and outside verifies what they have done,” said Limbuwala. “Many of them I have spoken to have asked if the EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres was ever going to become a programme with an independent verification processes. But that was never the intent of the EU Code of Conduct.”

How It Works

So how does CEEDA work? What is the process?

Limbuwala explained that Datacenter Dynamics is now one of the first of the CEEDA programme providers. A data centre would typically contact Datacenter Dynamics, and once they have gone through the costings and other information involved, an independent and CEEDA qualified assessor is then dispatched to the client site.

It is worth noting here that these assessors are not Datacenter Dynamics employees. Rather they are independent assessors, although Limbuwala could not tell eWEEK Europe UK how many people are currently CEEDA qualified.

“The process of becoming CEEDA qualified (i.e to become an assessor), is that first off checks are made to make sure that the person has the right background with experience in either electrical of mechanical processes,” said Limbuwala. “Once they pass this pre qualification, they then sit a training course and then have to pass an exam. If successful, the person is then CEEDA accredited.”

“As the first service provider, Datacenter Dynamics will then dispatch an assessor armed with the necessary documentation. The assessor will then carry out an assessment of the data centre, which involves a day onsite (at a minimum), with a number of other days as follow up,” Limbuwala said.

“The assessor is looking for evidence, basically everything within the operators control, such as electrical of mechanical systems, IT equipment, how it is all managed, monitored etc. Whether there is any metering, what type of systems are used, how they implemented and controlled, and how they are using them collectively to operate their data centre,” said Limbuwala.

Independently Verified

“They look at how the data centre embeds energy efficiency in their systems, and it is quite involved,” he said. “Once assessment is carried out, the assessor will write up a report, and will judge whether a gold, silver or bronze accreditation is suitable, or if the data centre falls short. In that case they will provide recommendations to get the data centre to that point and then offer a reassessment (like a car failing its MOT, they will retest after fixing the faults).”

“However there is another important step in this process. After the assessor makes his recommendations, this assessment is then send out to an independent auditor who looks at documentation, does a sense check, and makes sure things add up,” said Limbuwala. “The auditor can call the assessor and quiz them on unclear details, and once they are happy, they will then write a short report basically concurring the assessor’s findings, or they will disagree, and demand for example that further evidence is required, which will require another engagement with the client.”

“This ensures the programme builds itself as a credible independent scheme, and ensures as much fairness is involved,” said Limbuwala. “It is not just down to one assessor. Once the auditor makes his recommendations, then the process kicks off to provide an award to the client, which is both a physcal award and also a listing on the CEEDA website.”

“The data centre industry has a lot of history about confidence regarding ‘marketing statements’, so we have worked very hard to ensure that this is a transparent process and as independent as possible,” Limbuwala told eWEEK Europe UK.