Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1464345
April/May/June 2022 I 67 Scope 3 Scope 1 Scope 2 CO 2 Emissions Reductions Offsets Carbon Neutral FIGURE 5: How to get to carbon neutral. Carbon Footprint Purchase products that disclose their carbon footprint through a life cycle assessment (LCA) or environmental product declaration (EPD). When considering the carbon footprint of a product, it can be helpful to note the different "types" of carbon emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions are categorized into three scopes by the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol: • Scope 1: Direct emissions from burning fuel in own premises and from company vehicles • Scope 2: Indirect emissions from imported electricity, heat, and steam • Scope 3: Indirect emissions from a company's value chain For products, most of the emissions that need to be included are under Scope 3. Therefore, a carbon neutral company, which typically includes scopes 1 and 2, does not equal carbon neutral products. Additional reductions and offsets are required to achieve a carbon neutral product. The construction products' manufacturer approach should consider carbon reduction in a variety of areas, including operations, leading circularity, and integrating social impact (Figure 5). It is important to develop a sustainable project CONCLUDING THOUGHTS AND RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES Data centers make up a large portion of the 40 percent of global emissions created by building construction and operations. This means there is ample room for positive impact, thereby providing savings for owners and project teams. Beginning with a green building certification, like LEED Building Design and Construction for Data Centers, to set a framework for sustainability goal setting and achievement is an effective place to start. When prioritizing sustainability for data center con- struction, teams should consider greenhouse gas emis- sions, water consumption, waste creation and disposal, and healthy and sustainable materials. To reduce emis- sions, projects can start by electrifying wherever possible to reduce reliance on high-carbon diesel for construction energy. Projects can also specify steel and concrete mixes with lower carbon content to reduce the embodied carbon of the data center structure. To lower water design and delivery process that accounts for life cycle management, construction execution impact reduction (including modularization), and integration of more sustainable technologies and energy sources. A manu- facturer's investment in research and development is essential to developing sustainable solutions. This can further contribute to reducing negative environmental and social impact, as well as increase both employee and stakeholder engagement in sustainability. consumption, project teams can use reclaimed water for dust control and soil conditioning, which can be pro- vided by the local utility or project site. A construction and demolition waste management plan, focused on recycling concrete, can help teams reduce construction waste. Specifying products that disclose healthy ingredi- ents, are sourced from a sustainable supply chain, have low VOC content, and have a small carbon footprint will help data centers protect the health of their occupants through healthy and sustainable materials. Incorporating these sustainable best practices into data center construction will help project teams build data centers that contribute to climate solutions and support occupant health, moving the industry forward with performance as the priority.