Choosing a sustainable Manchester data centre isn’t as simple as finding a colocation solution with a postcode beginning with ‘M’ and the word ‘sustainable’ on its website. In the age of greenwashing, it’s crucial to get specific on the metrics behind those green claims and understand how your choice of colocation partner positively impacts people and the planet.

From renewable energy to heat reuse to social initiatives, we’re breaking down what to look for from a truly green data centre in Manchester. Then, we’ll run through the metrics that matter for your enterprise’s sustainability performance and bottom line.

Is Manchester colocation the best fit for your enterprise?

Before we begin to discuss sustainability, let’s consider if locating your compute in Manchester makes sense for you. A data centre in Manchester suits companies whose HQ is in, or near, Manchester. We’ve already covered why Manchester is a Northern Powerhouse; in the words of our CSO Matt Bagwell, “There is a development and economic migration from the 'saturated south' where power, space, and opportunity are limited.”

Keeping your high-performance compute close to home, rather than in an overseas data centre, means you can physically access your servers when needed. What’s more, choosing the UK means you retain sovereignty and ensure ownership of your sensitive data. Finally, for inference workloads, maintaining low latency is crucial. Waiting for answers from a distant data centre wastes valuable milliseconds in real-time inference use cases, such as manufacturing or autonomous driving. Choosing near-prem colocation is essential for your inference applications to run smoothly, so if you’re based in the North West, a data centre in Manchester is an ideal home for your inference workloads.

What makes a data centre truly sustainable? Key metrics to consider

Renewable Energy Factor

There are many aspects of a data centre that affect its sustainability, and, in turn, your enterprise’s sustainability performance. You’ll likely hear from most sustainable data centres that they run on renewable energy, as indicated by renewable energy certifications or a percentage of renewable energy used (Renewable Energy Factor or REF). Choosing wind or solar over gas or coal is undeniably great for the planet. 

Power Usage Effectiveness

The second aspect to look at is how efficient the data centre is, shown by its Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) metric. PUE is calculated by dividing a facility’s total energy consumption by the energy that powers its compute. If a data centre has an inefficient cooling system or wastes excess power keeping its facility running, this will result in a higher PUE.

Water Usage Effectiveness

When it comes to cooling, many data centres use water-based cooling systems. Choosing water over fans means less power is used on cooling: an immediate win for sustainability, right? Not quite: water is also a resource that should be used in moderation to ensure a sustainable data centre. Check a facility’s Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) to see how much water it uses compared to compute energy. A lower WUE shows the data centre is using water efficiently.

Energy Reuse Factor and Net PUE

Running high-performance compute generates a huge amount of heat: imagine your laptop overheating, but on a massive scale. Reusing this heat to warm residential homes, for example, means reducing those buildings’ energy emissions, as well as creating a positive social impact for the wider community.

Heat reuse can be measured by a facility’s Energy Reuse Factor (ERF), a percentage figure that indicates how much heat is used a second time. The higher the percentage, the more efficient and sustainable the data centre. We’ve already discussed PUE; net PUE is another metric that gives a true indicator of efficiency by factoring heat reuse into calculations. Net PUE is calculated with the equation: (total facility power – heat reuse) ÷ compute power. 

Want the full story on how data centres reuse heat? Check out our blueprint for green urban ecologies. 

Social impact

While there’s no single metric that can demonstrate a data centre’s social impact, how a Manchester data centre integrates with and gives back to its surrounding community is just as important as environmental sustainability. Capturing the heat from compute and passing it onto communities via district heating systems is one way data centres can make a difference to citizens. Receiving free heat means local facilities (such as public buildings or swimming pools) reduce operating costs and can continue to provide essential services. Social impact doesn’t stop at heat reuse; look out for other ways a data centre aims to make a positive difference to communities, from tree planting projects to accessibility schemes.

Why sustainable colocation is non-negotiable for forward-thinking enterprises

Partnering with a sustainable Manchester data centre is a crucial way your enterprise can minimise its environmental impact. Beyond doing good for the planet, opting for sustainable compute will help you meet environmental regulation requirements. You’ll reduce scope 2 or 3 emissions (depending on whether you or the data centre is billed by the energy provider). If your colocation partner reuses heat, opts for renewable energy, or uses efficient cooling systems, all of these avoid producing more emissions. These avoided emissions can be counted in your enterprise’s scope 4 report.

Choosing sustainable high-performance compute also contributes to your enterprise’s ESG narrative. For a strong Environmental and Social report, consider all the metrics we outlined above, as well as a data centre’s community impact. As for Governance, look out for a facility that’s transparent and provides the metrics you need to meet your reporting framework. Bonus points if they share that overview as a dashboard, especially if it plugs directly into your own reporting system via an API.

Want more details on how your HPC choice impacts your sustainability reporting? Check out our guide for smart CSOs.

What to consider besides sustainability when choosing a data centre in Manchester

Sustainability is crucial, both for the planet and for your enterprise’s sustainability performance. However, choosing a green colocation solution is only possible if they also offer the service you need within your budget.

When buying HPC, you’ll need to contact the data centre in question for a custom price quote. Remember, the more efficient a facility, the cheaper it is to run: this means your HPC will likely cost less at an efficient facility. So, sustainability and cost-effectiveness go hand in hand.

As for the service you need, check the rack space offered by the data centre, and ask if they’re equipped for high-density workloads. If your enterprise is running AI or inference workloads, you’ll need a colocation partner with 100MW racks and accompanying cooling systems.

Get started with sustainable Manchester colocation

Choosing a sustainable Manchester data centre means getting a crystal clear understanding of a facility’s environmental metrics. For a partnership that strengthens the S in your ESG narrative, look out for a colocation provider that benefits its local community, too. Ready to explore your data centre options in Manchester? Deep Green’s ready-for-service Urmston location is a circular urban ecology that runs high-performance compute for enterprises while heating Trafford Leisure’s swimming pool.