White paper: measuring the environmental impact of data centers to take better decisions
APL Data Center and Data4 invite you to download a white paper revealing the complete results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a 5 MW data center, from its construction to its dismantling.
Based on international standards ISO 14040 and 14044, LCA is currently the most rigorous method for assessing the environmental impact of a data center throughout its entire life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to its dismantling, including its construction and operation.
This white paper presents the results of an LCA conducted on Data4’s DC19 data center, located in Marcoussis in Essonne (France), operational since 2023, with the following characteristics:
- IT surface area: 2,025 m²
- IT power: 5 MW
- PUE: 1.43
- Lifespan: 20 years
The results (excluding servers) show that the production of equipment and materials (including concrete and steel) accounts for 39% of the total carbon footprint over a 20-year period. The operational phase accounts for 48% of this footprint.
The analysis also reveals that the direct water consumption of the data center analyzed is minimal (less than 0.1%), with the major water impact being indirectly linked to electricity production.
Furthermore, over 20 years, the carbon footprint of a 5 MW IT data center is estimated at 12.6 million kg CO₂ eq, which is equivalent to the carbon emissions of less than 300 French citizens.
By publishing these detailed data, Data4 and APL Data Center aim to demonstrate that it is possible to combine digital development and environmental sustainability, provided that rigorous measurements are taken to enable better decisions.
