Participant of the EU Code of Conduct

Balancing the Code

The success of the EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres Energy Efficiency (Code) will be determined by its acceptance from implementors of IT and Data Centre environments. With major economic, security and social issues at the centre of EU energy policy, the balance between costs and benefits needs to exist within the Code to encourage organisations to be able to adopt it.

Economically, the benefits can be summarised as, using less energy - reduces costs, or put another way, 'do more with less'.

With it's focus on energy efficiency and considerable wealth of recommended best practices, the Code has created a balanced acceptable business model that could deliver these benefits.

Being a Participant

Participant status is awarded to any organisation who signs up and adopts the objectives, or subset of, the EU's guidelines, aims and best practices.

The commitment is an agreement with the EU stating objectives and timelines for achievement.

The Agreement requires the submission of annual reports for processing by the EU. The data contributes to energy efficiency monitoring and progress against the EU's energy strategy.

The process is voluntary with no penalty for failing to meet any stated objectives or agreed targets. However, it is expected that to be awarded and maintain Participant status, a strong executive level commitment will need to exist to achieve the agreed targets.

Minimum eligibility criteria is in place to ensure that the adoption of the Code as a Participant is by bona-fide organisations.

Included within the criteria setting is the definition of what Data Centres are to be included and what the programme of change affecting energy efficiency is to be followed. The code applies to new, old and refurbished Data Centres and appropriate energy efficiency activities exist for each.

Acceptance and awarding of Participant status requires sign-off by the Code of Conduct Secretariat.

Activities of a Participant

Gaining and keeping Participant status requires long term commitment to the objectives of the Code and achieving this will require a well structured and defined plan of action.

The best practice approach to meeting the requirements of the Code, including regular reporting is to establish a baseline.

Through baselining, a process is undertaken for identifying the criteria for agreement with the EU in the Participation process. The baseline is an integral component of the ongoing management and reporting of the Code both within the organisation and to the EU.

In following years an updated assessment should be undertaken to establish the improvements made against the Code and over time a formal and auditable documentation trail would be established showing progress against agreed energy efficiency targets.

This is why Dimension 85 has developed Assessor so that organisations have a proven repeatable and low-cost method of creating a baseline and conducting subsequent assessments against the the Code's recommended best practices.

Benefits of Being a Participant

Some of the benefits include:

1. Enhances market and brand reputation.
2. Public statement of commitment to the reduction of energy consumption.
3. Provides a direction, in line with EU recommendations.
4. Signifies statement of corporate social responsibility.
5. Signifies compliance with increasing Government sustainability and energy efficiency requirements.
6. Probable reduction in energy-related costs.

How to Become a Participant?

Dimension 85 provides a complete range of services for organisations and companies that want to become Participants and benefit from adopting the EU Code. For further information refer to Participant Management Service.