Energy Use & Efficiency

This indicator provides contextual information to help investors and other stakeholders interpret the entity’s responses to the Energy Use & Efficiency indicators. Its purpose is to enable the entity to disclose any material circumstances, operational factors, or portfolio-specific considerations that may influence its energy use and efficiency performance and how that performance should be considered.

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. If ‘Yes’, provide context to support the interpretation of the entity’s responses to this aspect’s indicators.

Open text box: The content of this open text box is not used for scoring, but will be included in the Insights and Benchmark Reports. Participants should use this open text box to provide further details, context, or comments related to the subject.

Terminology

Sustainable energy usage

The proportion of energy used by the data center that comes from renewable or sustainable sources.

No evidence required.

This indicator assesses whether the entity has set an energy use and efficiency strategy and/or direction of travel, including short- and medium- to long-term targets/objectives and, where relevant, alignment with external voluntary frameworks. A clear strategy supports a forward-looking approach to managing energy-related costs and competitiveness.

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. If 'Yes', select all applicable sub-options.

If applicable, select the framework with which the strategy is aligned.

• Government frameworks reported should only include non-binding frameworks established by government bodies. Legislative frameworks fall outside the scope of this category.

• Other: State the other framework with which the strategy is aligned. Ensure that the other answer provided is not a duplicate of a selected option above.

Open text box: The content of this open text box is not used for scoring, but will be included in the Insights and Benchmark Reports. Participants should use this open text box to provide further details, context, or comments related to the subject.

Terminology

Direction of travel

The overall trajectory of an entity's approach over time, which outlines its strategic priorities and the milestones it expects to achieve.

Industry-agnostic framework(s)

Frameworks that are intended to be applied across multiple sectors and are not specific to one industry.

Industry-specific framework(s)

Frameworks tailored to a the data center sector, addressing industry-specific greenhouse gas emissions sources and reduction approaches.

Governmental framework(s)

Non-binding guidelines or initiatives established by government bodies to support greenhouse gas emissions management.

Sustainability objectives

Strategic priorities and key topics for the management and/or improvement of sustainability, resilience, and efficiency issues.

Sustainability strategy

Strategy which (1) sets out the participant’s procedures and (2) sets the direction and guidance for the entity’s implementation of sustainability measures.

No evidence required.

The scoring of this indicator is equal to the sum of the fractions assigned to the selected options and respective sub-options, multiplied by the total score of the indicator.

This indicator examines whether the entity has implemented systems or processes to manage energy use and efficiency. Robust management processes help translate strategic commitments into accountable oversight and consistent delivery.

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. If 'Yes', select all applicable sub-options.

Other: State the other practices used to manage energy use and efficiency. Ensure that the other answer provided is not a duplicate of a selected option above.

Terminology

Communication protocol

Formally established processes for sharing relevant information.

Corrective action

Corrective action in the context of safety refers to the systematic steps taken to eliminate the root causes of safety incidents, hazards, or non-compliance issues to prevent their recurrence. It typically involves investigating the underlying causes, implementing specific measures to address deficiencies, and monitoring the effectiveness of these measures to ensure lasting improvement in workplace safety performance.

Day-to-day implementation responsibility

The assigned responsibility for carrying out, managing, and monitoring the regular activities needed to put a policy, program, or process into practice.

Dedicated employee(s) on sustainability issues

Employee(s) whose primary responsibility is defining, implementing and monitoring the sustainability objectives at entity level.

External

Individuals or groups outside the reporting entity who influence or are influenced by its activities or decisions (e.g., investors, customers/tenants, communities).

Internal

Individuals or groups within the reporting entity who directly contribute to, oversee, or are affected by its operations and decisions (e.g., employees, leadership, contractors working under the organization's direction).

Policy

A policy is an organizational commitment, direction or intention that is formally adopted by the organization. It may serve the purpose of:

1. Outlining rules and procedures

2. Providing principles that guide action

3. Setting roles and responsibilities

4. Describing values and beliefs

5. Stating an intention to act or achieve defined goals and/or company vision

Mechanisms for evaluation and corrective action

Processes used to review greenhouse gas emissions performance and implement changes or improvements where needed.

Risk assessment

Careful examination of the factors that could potentially adversely impact the value or longevity of a data center. The results of the assessment assist in identifying measures that have to be implemented in order to prevent and mitigate the risks.

Risk evaluation

Comparing risk analysis results with risk criteria to determine whether the residual risk is tolerable.

Senior decision-maker responsible for sustainability-related issues

A senior individual with sign off (approval) authority for approving strategic sustainability objectives and steps undertaken to achieve these objectives. The responsible person oversees day-to-day execution, coordinates relevant stakeholders, and ensures progress towards define sustainability goals, but does not hold final-sign off authority for approving strategic decisions.

System(s) for performance measurement, data management, and reporting

The processes, tools, and systems used to collect, manage, analyze, and report energy-related data. These systems enable the monitoring of energy performance, tracking of targets, identification of trends, and disclosure of energy information to support decision-making and accountability.

Evidence

The evidence provided will be subject to manual validation.

The evidence should support each of the selected practices. The provided evidence must ensure the following:

1. Senior decision-maker vs. day-to-day responsibility: If the same person is selected for both “a senior decision-maker or executive with end responsibility” and “one or more persons with responsibility for day-to-day implementation,” the evidence must explicitly state that this person both signs off on the energy use and efficiency approach and oversees its implementation on a day-to-day basis.

2. Policy: The evidence must demonstrate the existence of a formal policy document that addresses energy use and efficiency, and not simply a list of general goals and/or commitments. A policy is a guide for action and may serve the purpose of:

   • outlining rules and procedures;

   • providing principles that guide action;

   • setting roles and responsibilities;

   • describing values and beliefs;

   • stating an intention to act or achieve defined goals and/or company vision.

   Acceptable evidence may include, but is not limited to, an energy use and efficiency policy, official internal documents, or links to online resources describing the entity’s energy use and efficiency policy. References such as bullet points or extracts from the policy may be provided to show the relevant sections. Where overarching policy documents cover multiple issues, the evidence must clearly identify the section(s) relevant to energy use and efficiency.

3. Systems for performance measurement, data management, and reporting: The evidence must demonstrate a systematic process used to measure, manage, and report energy use and efficiency performance data. This may include tools, systems, dashboards, registers, or other formal processes used for tracking and reporting energy use and efficiency information.

4. Internal and external communication protocols: The evidence must demonstrate the process used to communicate material energy use and efficiency information internally and, where relevant, externally. If a policy is in place, what matters here is not only the existence of the policy, but also the communication channels or protocols used to share relevant energy use and efficiency information with the appropriate stakeholders.

5. Mechanisms for evaluation and corrective action: The evidence must demonstrate the method used to review energy use and efficiency performance and address identified issues. This may include incident investigation processes, corrective action plans, audits, root-cause analysis, escalation procedures, or other methods used to respond to incidents, accidents, breaches, or non-compliance.

Other Answer

The other answer(s) provided will be subject to manual validation.

The scoring of this indicator is equal to the fraction assigned to the selected option, multiplied by the total score of the indicator.

Evidence: For selections subject to manual validation, the validation status acts as a multiplier to determine that selection's final score.

If any requirements are not met, the evidence may not be accepted, depending on the level of alignment with the requirements.

Other: The 'Other' answer is manually validated and assigned a score, which is used as a multiplying factor, as per the table below:

​Scoring Basics

This indicator identifies whether the entity can describe activities implemented during the reporting year to support its energy use and efficiency strategy. Demonstrating implementation provides evidence that the strategy is being translated into action across the portfolio.

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. If 'Yes', select all applicable sub-options.

Other: State the other improvements in the energy use and efficiency. Ensure that the other answer provided is not a duplicate of a selected option above.

Open text box: The content of this open text box is not used for scoring, but will be included in the Insights and Benchmark Reports. Participants should use this open text box to provide further details, context, or comments related to the subject.

Control-Weighted

Control: The extent to which the reporting entity has the authority and ability to (i) implement actions and/or (ii) influence and collect performance measurement outcomes for a given sustainability topic.

Control-Weighted Score: GRESB provides a Control-Weighted Score as a supplementary score in the Insights Report. This score adjusts results based on the entity’s level of control over the indicators, illustrating how the GRESB Base Score changes when control is taken into account.

Scoring Basics

Terminology

Data Center Power Equipment

This normally includes uninterruptible power supplies, power distribution units and cabling but may also include backup generators and other equipment.

Cooling Systems

The collection of mechanical, electrical, and control systems used to maintain environmental conditions required for reliable IT operation. Cooling systems may include chillers, cooling towers, computer room air conditioners (CRACs), computer room air handlers (CRAHs), pumps, fans, heat exchangers, liquid cooling systems, and associated controls.

Dynamic control of building cooling

The real-time optimization of the cooling system through control settings that respond to factors such as cooling load, internal air temperature, and external air temperature, in line with an agreed strategy.

Free Cooling

A cooling design approach that uses cool ambient conditions to meet part or all of a facility’s cooling requirements, reducing or eliminating reliance on mechanical cooling, including compressors, and thereby supporting lower energy use.

On-site Network and Communication Infrastructure

The networking equipment and communication systems that enable data transmission and connectivity within the facility. This may include routers, switches, firewalls, optical transport equipment, wireless infrastructure, and network management systems.

Servers and Storage Systems

The IT equipment responsible for computing, processing, and data storage functions within a facility. Energy efficiency improvements may include server consolidation, virtualization, workload optimization, efficient hardware deployment, storage optimization, and replacement of legacy equipment with higher-efficiency technologies.

No evidence required.

The scoring of this indicator is equal to the sum of the fractions assigned to the selected options and respective sub-options, multiplied by the total score of the indicator.

This indicator assesses whether the entity tracks and can report quantitative energy use performance over time, including the coverage of reported data and whether the data is externally reviewed. Measurement supports transparency and accountability by enabling performance tracking and confidence in reported results.

Select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. If 'Yes', select all applicable sub-options.

• Selecting 'Yes' to the indicator will require reporting a value for at least the required metrics (Total energy consumption and Power Usage Effectiveness). The remaining metrics (Other metrics and External Review) are optional.

• Other: State the other additional metrics that the entity monitors. Ensure that the other answer provided is not a duplicate of a selected option above.

Open text box: The content of this open text box is not used for scoring, but will be included in the Insights and Benchmark Reports. Participants should use this open text box to provide further details, context, or comments related to the subject.

External Review

Select 'Yes' or 'No': If “Yes,” specify the highest level of scrutiny applied to the submitted data (checked or verified/assured). If “verified/assured” is selected, indicate whether the review covered all or a subset of the data and provide supporting evidence.

Control-Weighted

Control: The extent to which the reporting entity has the authority and ability to (i) implement actions and/or (ii) influence and collect performance measurement outcomes for a given sustainability topic.

Control-Weighted Score: GRESB provides a Control-Weighted Score as a supplementary score in the Insights Report. This score adjusts results based on the entity’s level of control over the indicators, illustrating how the GRESB Base Score changes when control is taken into account.

Scoring Basics

Terminology

Cooling efficiency ratio (CER)

It is a measure of how effectively a cooling system converts electrical energy input into cooling output. It is calculated by dividing total energy used for cooling by total energy consumption.

Externally checked

Applies to instances when a third party has reviewed the data in a structured and consistent process, but no official certification has been awarded.

Externally assured

Applies to instances where a third party has reviewed the data against an existing scheme.

Externally verified

Applies to instances where a third party has reviewed the data against an existing scheme.

Energy reuse

Energy reuse refers to energy reused by the data center. Energy reuse factor is the energy reused divided by total energy consumption. A ratio of 1 indicates all energy is reused.

Energy reuse factor (ERF)

Energy reuse refers to energy reused by the data center. Energy reuse factor is the energy reused divided by total energy consumption. A ratio of 1 indicates all energy is reused.

Natural gas

Gaseous fossil fuel comprised mostly of methane. Can be compressed (CNG) or liquified (LNG).

Non-renewable energy

Energy sources that cannot be replenished in a short time through natural cycles or processes.

Power Use Effectiveness (PUE)

A metric used to measure the energy efficiency of a data center, defined as the ratio of total facility energy consumption to IT equipment energy consumption. PUE is used to assess and benchmark the efficiency of infrastructure systems supporting IT loads, with lower values indicating higher energy efficiency. For more information, see The Green Grid White Paper 49: PUE: A Comprehensive Examination of the Metric and Schneider Electric’s White Paper “Guidance for Calculation of Efficiency (PUE) in Data Centers”

Stationary fuels

The consumption of fuels in fixed, on-site equipment used to support data center operations. Examples include diesel used in backup generators and natural gas used for electricity generation, heating, or other stationary energy systems.

Renewable energy

Energy derived from sources that can be replenished in a short time through natural cycles or processes, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass.

Total energy consumption

The energy consumed is the electrical energy drawn from the utility grid, and any on-site energy production from generators, solar, wind, or other sources.

Utilization

The proportion of installed IT capacity that is actively used, expressed as the ratio of actual IT load to total installed IT capacity.

Evidence

The evidence provided will be subject to manual validation.

The provided evidence must:

1. Confirm the existence of the third-party energy data review.

2. Confirm the type of third-party review (checked, verified, or assured), and a formal statement with the verification or assurance standard used (when applicable).

3. Prove that the energy consumption data review was performed for the reporting entity's underlying facilities.

4. Demonstrate that the data assurer/verifier is an independent third party to the reporting entity (when applicable).

5. Ongoing Verification/Assurance: If verification/assurance for the current reporting year is in the process but has not yet been finalized, evidence documents from the previous year are acceptable if it is explicitly stated that the process is still ongoing at the submission date.

6. First-Time Verification/Assurance: For entities undergoing data assurance or verification for the first time, GRESB accepts a confirmation from the auditor indicating that assurance or verification is in progress and valid for the respective reporting year. The confirmation letter must specify the standard against which the data is assured or verified. All other validation requirements remain applicable.

7. Non-Alignment of Reporting Years: If verification/assurance does not align with the chosen reporting year, e.g., data assurance is calendar year, but GRESB reporting is fiscal year, two verification statements are needed to ensure that 100% of the data reported was verified/assured.

The scoring of this indicator is equal to the fraction assigned to the selected option, multiplied by the total score of the indicator.

Evidence: For selections subject to manual validation, the validation status acts as a multiplier to determine that selection's final score.

If any requirements are not met, the evidence may not be accepted, depending on the level of alignment with the requirements.

​Scoring Basics