NEXTDC receives NABERS 5-star rating

A NABERS 5-star rating has just been awarded to the NEXTDC M1 Melbourne data centre.

This makes it the first Australian data centre to be certified with a National Australian Built Environment Rating (NABERS) 5-star rating.

“Our goal is to set a new global benchmark in data centre design that will deliver a higher level of sustainability for our customers and our environment. We are responsible for building the digital economic infrastructure that will support our future generations, so it’s something we take very seriously,” said NEXTDC’s Chief of Engineering & Design, Jeff Van Zetten.

NABERS is a national rating system that measures the environmental performance of Australian buildings. It enables organisations to benchmark the environmental performance of their buildings, measuring their energy efficiency, greenhouse gas intensity and the overall impact on the environment.

The certification process for this coveted NABERS 5-star rating for data centre infrastructure facility began many years ago. A long-term vision for energy-efficient design, coupled with the rigorous day-to-day commitment in performing disciplined, on-site, real-time monitoring and ongoing tuning plays an integral role in achieving a NABERS 5-star standard. Ensuring M1’s energy-saving design elements, such as the innovative use of indirect economy cycle free cooling, are running optimally and continuing to maintain exceptional indoor air quality for the critical IT infrastructure is crucial to attaining the benchmark.

NEXTDC developed, owns and operates its own solar array on the roof of the M1 data centre and has also been a principal partner to the Melbourne Renewable Energy Project (MREP) since its inception in 2014. In FY18, financial close on MREP was achieved, enabling the construction of the 80 MW Crowlands Wind Farm in Victoria.

“I am extremely proud of what the team have achieved. This is a significant milestone for our business and celebrates the energy efficiency of our data centres. Our dedication to environmental sustainability is core to our values at NEXTDC. Continued investment in this area remains a priority and we will continue to push sustainability boundaries and set aggressive new benchmarks for the data centre industry,” said NEXTDC’s Chief Operating Officer, Simon Cooper.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Jakub Jirsák

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