For nearly 15 years, sustainability has been a hallmark of how Compass designs, builds and operates data centers. We have pioneered a long list of industry firsts that have become sustainability best practices across the data center industry – from our use of prefabrication to our use of low-carbon concrete. That continues today with new advances in sustainability that make me excited to come to work every day.
I get asked a lot about Compass’ sustainability program when I go to conferences. People want to know how they can build similar sustainability programs at their company, and my answer always surprises them: “Actually, Compass doesn’t have a sustainability program.” It is an answer that usually causes a double take. But it’s true. Compass doesn’t have a sustainability program and sustainability goals. What we have is a passionate focus on continuous improvement. And that drives innovations that naturally lead to better sustainability.
Simply put: when innovation is the focus, sustainability is the outcome. And to see the proof of that, look no further than the new Outcomes Report that Compass has just published.
Each year, Compass publishes a disclosure report on environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) outcomes. Sustainability is a major focus of the report, and one of the things that comes through so clearly is how sustainability is a direct result of the way we drive continuous improvement in every aspect of how we design, build, and operate our data centers.
One highlight of this year’s report is how we took prefabrication and standardization to another level in ways that increase sustainability of digital infrastructure. We began deploying prefabricated pipe racks, water skids and whitespace modules (WSM) on our campuses all co-developed with our closely coupled partners like Schneider Electric, Vertiv, Siemens and RK Industries. This approach delivers significant sustainability benefits vs. traditional construction processes, and all of these innovations are now available to the industry.
The report also discusses how Compass’ 100-year campus strategy is driving sustainability gains. Compass is unique in designing our data center campuses for such a long lifecycle, and every day we are making improvements to equipment and processes that enhance durability, efficiency and resilience. Equipment that lasts longer, does not need to be repeatedly replaced and operates more efficiently has a far smaller carbon footprint.
This year’s report also puts a spotlight on two exciting industry firsts. Compass is the first and only data center company to be awarded the ICMA Platinum Medallion for Excellence in Industrialized Construction by the Industrialized Construction Group (ICG). And Compass also earned prestigious Green Globes certifications (bringing our total to 23 Green Globes awarded). Green Globes certifications are issued by the Green Building Initiative (GBI), an international nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the environmental performance of buildings. These accolades are a direct result of our commitment to innovation.
The report also discusses the latest Green Globe certifications that Compass has achieved in recognition of our sustainability. These certifications from the Green Building Initiative (GBI) are the gold standard for sustainability in data centers. Even more exciting, we also partnered with GBI to develop the Campus certification available to the industry for hyperscale campuses – a pathway for assessing the sustainability of data center campuses as a whole. This would establish standards for driving increased sustainability of digital infrastructure for the entire industry.
These outcomes are all the result of Compass’ commitment to continuous improvement and are equally impactful for Compass’ customers and the communities we serve. We are hopeful they become the standard for a more innovative and sustainable data center industry.
