03 Apr 2009

Industry body adopts green IT scheme

An industry body is adopting a green IT scheme designed to increase environmental sustainability.

Sector specialist the Digital Realty Trust (DRT) will adopt the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method Bespoke (Breeam) grade for all future data centre projects.

Jim Smith, chief technology officer for the DRT, says the scheme promotes recognition of environmental best practice and can increase the long-term value of its buildings.

Interest for specialist building sites is increasing, with the project benefitting from improvements made after initial feedback, claims Paul Gibbon, global director of sustainability at the Building Research Establishment.

"Over the first 12 months of the data centre scheme, we will be refining it with feedback from actual assessments and in time this 'scheme' will become part of the standard suite for Breeam," he comments.

Certain framework assessments can provide a ready-made set of criteria that developers, designers and clients can use to assess their buildings, Mr Gibbon concludes.