BEAM Plus Data Centres is a green building rating tool tailored for certifying the sustainability performance of data centres. It assesses the design and construction of new data centres, as well as the operations and maintenance of existing data centres.
Eligibility
The area of the data centres to be assessed should be no less than 500m2, while the data halls, containing racks of IT equipment, and any related plant space should make up a significant majority of the floor area.
Depending on the stage of the building life cycle, new construction or major A&A works on data centres can be certified under BEAM Plus New Data Centres (NDC), while operations and management of data centres can be certified under BEAM Plus Existing Data Centres (EDC).
Benefits of Certification
| By undertaking the BEAM Plus Data Centres assessment, you can: | |
|---|---|
| Minimise environmental impacts from construction and operations | Adopt best practices and innovative technology for data centres |
| Demonstrate commitment to sustainability | Support Hong Kong achieving the carbon neutrality target by 2050 |
Features of BEAM Plus Data Centres
| Specificity | Best Practice on Energy Use | Emphasis on Green Management |
|---|---|---|
| Credit requirements are aligned with the practical conditions of constructing and operating data centres with sustainability at the core | Data centres consume a lot of power in their servers and cooling equipment. With new credit requirements formulated, the certification places emphasis on recognising best that enhance energy efficiency. | Sustainable and energy-efficient management practices are also a key to success in operating data centres. As such, Energy Use and Management are mandatory aspects under the Selective Scheme of BEAM Plus Existing Data Centres. |
Assessment Aspects of BEAM Plus New Data Centres (NDC)
| Assessment Aspects | Description |
|---|---|
 Integrated Design and Construction Management (IDCM) |
encourages the project team to enhance communication with stakeholders and adopt the integrated design approach throughout green building design and construction. |
 Sustainable Sites (SS) |
is about the location, design, infrastructural provisions and basic amenities of a building or a development. |
 Materials and Waste (MW) |
encourages waste reduction and efficient use of materials of lesser environmental impacts. |
 Energy Use (EU) |
relates to low energy design, energy efficiency practices and adoption of renewable energy. |
 Water Use (WU) |
emphasises adoption of water efficient devices and practices, reduction of water use and the quality of potable water. |
 Health and Wellbeing (HWB) |
encompass various environmental aspects of indoor/outdoor environment which have an impact on the health, comfort or wellbeing of the occupants and neighbours including daylight access, air quality, ventilation, and thermal comfort, etc. |
 Innovations and Additions (IA) |
gives credits to projects with innovative designs that enhance environmental performance; and projects with superior performance that greatly exceed the prevailing requirements in the assessment. |
There are four ratings listed as follows:
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Assessment Aspects of BEAM Plus Existing Data Centres (EDC)
| Assessment Aspects | Description |
|---|---|
Sustainable Site (SS) |
is about the location, design, infrastructural provisions and basic amenities of a building or a development. |
 Management (MAN) |
concerns responsible management practices and provisions to encourage sustainable management of occupied areas. |
Materials and Waste (MW) |
encourages waste reduction and efficient use of materials of lesser environmental impacts. |
Energy Use (EU) |
relates to low energy design, energy efficiency practices and adoption of renewable energy. |
Water Use (WU) |
emphasises adoption of water efficient devices and practices, reduction of water use and the quality of potable water. |
Integrated Design and Construction Management (IDCM) |
encourages the project team to enhance communication with stakeholders and adopt the integrated design approach throughout green building design and construction. |
Health and Wellbeing (HWB) |
encompass various environmental aspects of indoor/outdoor environment which have an impact on the health, comfort or wellbeing of the occupants and neighbours including daylight access, air quality, ventilation, and thermal comfort, etc. |
Innovations and Additions (IA) |
gives credits to projects with innovative designs that enhance environmental performance; and projects with superior performance that greatly exceed the prevailing requirements in the assessment. |
BEAM Plus Existing Data Centres is designed for greater flexibility. Applicants can apply for Comprehensive Scheme or Selective Scheme, according to the current circumstances of their buildings. There are four ratings available for a project under each scheme:
Under Comprehensive Scheme
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Under Selective Scheme
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze
"The new BEAM Plus Data Centres certification sets out a broader framework, from design to construction retrofits, on energy efficiency and environment protection that helps data centres tremendously achieve sustainability. "
Mr Herbert Chan
iTech Towers Data Centre Services Ltd. & Grand Ming Group Holdings Ltd.
"A milestone in the evolution of "BEAM Plus" to address specific type of buildings for the first time, which will surely lead to wider coverage and application of this powerful tool for the benefits of all."
Mr Paul Chong
The Hong Kong Federation of Electrical and Mechanical Contractors
"A Launch of BEAM Plus certifications for Data Cente signifies the commitment of Hong Kong in environmental protection sustainability and continues development. SUNeVision is very delighted to have this framework and will work with industry partners to contribute to the Hong Kong success. "
Mr Martin Chan
SUNeVision Holdings Ltd.