A recent examination of datacenter lifecycles has highlighted that constructing these facilities contributes to 39% of total carbon emissions, nearly comparable to their operational emissions. The study, led by European datacenter operator Data4 and consulting firm APL Data Center, provides a rigorous life cycle analysis (LCA) of a facility at Data4’s Marcoussis campus. Over 20 years, the datacenter’s carbon footprint is estimated at 12.6 million kg of CO2.

During construction, emissions largely stem from materials like concrete and steel, raising concerns about broader environmental impacts. This aligns with Microsoft’s reported increase in emissions due to new datacenter constructions, despite pledges to reduce their carbon footprint. Meanwhile, Data4’s minimal water usage during operations, at just 0.039 L/kWh, contrasts sharply with typical practices involving cooling systems.

The insights suggest potential strategies for reducing environmental impact, such as using sustainable building materials and improving cooling efficiency. Data4 aims to cut the carbon footprint of new infrastructure installations by 38% by 2030, advocating industry-wide transparency and proactive design changes to foster a sustainable digital future.