SAFEGUARDING ‘GENERATION DATA’

Ark Data Centres embodies the synergy between security and sustainability. With social responsibility woven into the company’s DNA, we follow its Scope 3 journey and dissect the current data dilemma with Head of Energy and Sustainability,

Pip Squire

Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Dennis Morales

We have got to start thinking about the impact of data and how we handle it in order to impact the climate crisis. To me, that is the biggest fundamental that we all need to start working on.”

Data has become the fuel of modern society, a precious commodity whose prominence today compares to the necessity of coal during the days of the Industrial Revolution.

Yet, as the opening statement of Pip Squire – Head of Energy and Sustainability at Ark Data Centres

(Ark) - would suggest, revolution is what is called for in the realm of data management if it is to be environmentally responsible.

“Once data is on the internet, it’s there forever, and as long as it’s on the internet, it’s burning energy. We need to start asking, firstly, if that data needs to be up there, and secondly, whether it needs to be stored there for all time,” he states.

With the internet accounting for around four percent of global energy consumption, a staggering 50

EME OUTLOOK: HOW DOES ARK ACHIEVE A SUSTAINABLE VALUE CHAIN CENTRED ON VISIBILITY?

Pip Squire, Head of Energy and Sustainability: “This comes down to our Scope 3 reporting and working with our supply chain to ensure that they are also recording their CO2 emissions. However, this also includes our efforts around modern slavery, diversity in the workplace and other policies put in place driven by our leadership team.

“We expect our supply chain to meet our high standards. I’ve been with Ark for 15 years and our main suppliers have grown with us. As a result, our ethos of sustainability has been built into them. They already know that we are looking to avoid carbon emissions, so will be looking at whether we can get CO2-free concrete, or even better, concrete that captures CO2.

“Because of the way we work and the frameworks we have, our supply chain is developing in the same mould. Anyone that hasn’t continued with us on the Ark journey has likely fallen down on one of those points.” percent of that energy is consumed by end-user devices – individuals streaming movies on smartphones and storing hundreds of photos that are replicated across the cloud. Behind every individual user, is a digital footprint that is escalating beyond control.

Driving Responsible Data Management

Squire is an influential voice championing this dawning realisation within his role at Ark – a company which is well-established as a forerunner in designing and constructing secure, sustainable data centres.

Ark’s story began in 2008 with the acquisition of Spring Park - a 38-acre derelict military site in rural Wiltshire that was subsequently converted into a fully functioning data centre campus hosting six separate facilities. Evidence of Ark’s ever-increasing footprint, Cody Park in nearby Hampshire boasts an additional six data centres, Meridian Park in North London has one facility and three sites are currently under development close to London.

From the public sector to financial institutions and private sector bodies including various tech ‘hyper-scalers’, Ark’s sites cater to a broad spectrum of customers and provide a space with the appropriate conditioned power, air conditioning and environmental controls to lease through flexible contracts.

“We provide a service level agreement (SLA) to our customers that the power will always be on, and we give them the cooling, temperature, and humility controls that their servers require for the length of their tenancy with us,” Squire elaborates.

A Breath Of Fresh Air

Ever since its inception, a major factor for these customers in choosing to work with Ark is the efficiency and

Cbre

CBRE Data Center Solutions is dedicated to supporting data center and mission critical infrastructure with over 4,000 dedicated technicians managing 700+ data centers in over 45 countries worldwide.

Our customers benefit from bespoke processes and procedures that unlock maximum value and performance for our clients’ portfolios. Our ultimate aim? To reduce risk through operational strategies powered by cutting-edge technology and top talent.

With operations in nearly 50 countries, our scale ensures our clients can confidently leverage this established global footprint as a foundation for growth. Whether clients have one data center, or multiple locations across the globe, our trusted team of world class experts tailor the right solution to meet individual requirements.

Clients benefit from our wide service offering that incorporates real estate, facilities, and technology systems into a single delivery model. This holistic approach streamlines operational oversight, giving greater visibility, higher risk mitigation as well as cost savings and efficiencies.

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