How can a data centre's energy, resource and operational performance be assessed transparently? Sustainable Data Center (SDC), High Knowledge's own certification scheme, combines criteria, auditing and documented results. This article was revised on 8 September 2026 to reflect the current scheme.
Rechenzentren anhand von Nachweisen bewerten
Data centres deliver IT services and require electricity, cooling, space and technical infrastructure. A facility's operating efficiency cannot be inferred from its construction type or a single metric alone. A robust assessment starts with defined system boundaries and traceable data.
SDC stands for Sustainable Data Center. High Knowledge's scheme structures the assessment of data centres and helps operators bring together the current condition, requirements and opportunities for improvement. The assessment relates to the agreed scope and the evidence actually reviewed.
A framework of criteria, auditing and scheme rules
The SDC scheme rules describe the certification procedure and its requirements. The catalogue comprises 301 criteria, organised into eleven categories and 46 groups. An audit report and a documented list of the evidence reviewed make the assessment traceable.
Für Betreiber entsteht dadurch eine strukturierte Arbeitsgrundlage: Welche Angaben sind belegt? Welche Aspekte müssen ergänzt werden? Wo bestehen Handlungsfelder? Eine einzelne günstige Kennzahl ersetzt dabei nicht die Bewertung der weiteren Kriterien.
Putting energy efficiency and waste heat into context
Energy consumption includes both IT and supporting infrastructure. Utilisation, measurement boundaries and the assessment period are decisive for comparisons. PUE describes the ratio of total electrical energy consumption to IT energy consumption within the defined boundary. A target value and a measured annual value serve different purposes.
Waste heat also requires a project-specific assessment: temperature levels, availability over time, distance and a heat customer's demand determine its practical use. The technical ability to extract heat is not evidence that a quantity of heat has actually been delivered.
Vom Erstgespräch zum dokumentierten Ergebnis
The location, scope, assessment framework and required documentation are established at the outset. The audit combines document review with examination of the facility and discussions with those responsible. Findings and any necessary measures are recorded transparently in the report.
The SDC scheme provides rating classes from A to G. Its rules govern the prerequisites, decision, use of the label and subsequent process. Under the scheme rules, certificates are valid for three years and subject to annual reviews. The applicable scheme rules and the specific certification agreement remain authoritative.
Distinguishing certification from statutory obligations
Germany's Energy Efficiency Act sets requirements for data centres, including energy efficiency, management systems and information. The obligations applicable in each case depend on the facility, operator and statutory conditions. An SDC assessment does not replace this examination. Quelle: Energieeffizienzgesetz, abgerufen am 8. September 2026.
Similarly, an SDC label is not a blanket confirmation of full NIS2 compliance or of overall environmental impact. Public statements must reflect the assessment scope, findings and available evidence.
Verbesserungen systematisch vorbereiten
An audit provides guidance for the next steps. Measures can be prioritised according to their technical prerequisites, operational dependencies and verifiable objectives. Follow-up assessments show which changes have been implemented and how the evidenced results have developed.
Find out more about Sustainable Data Center and the Data Centre Certification. For construction or technical changes, a feasibility study eine nachvollziehbare Entscheidungsgrundlage.
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