Chapter 09 · Sustainability & AISustainability & AI
EU Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency
Definition
A voluntary European framework, managed by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, setting best practices for reducing data-centre energy consumption.
References
This source provides part of the technical or institutional basis for the definition.
This source supports the explanation of how the term is applied, measured or governed in practice.
Overview
What it means
Operating since 2008, the Code pairs participant commitments with annually updated Best Practice Guidelines (2025 edition) covering cooling, power, IT equipment and monitoring. Though voluntary, it is referenced by binding instruments — the recast Energy Efficiency Directive and the EU Taxonomy's climate criteria for data centres — giving it quasi-regulatory weight.
How it is used
Operators join as participants, implement and report against the practice list, and use endorsement in procurement and customer assurance. Auditors and consultants use the guidelines as the reference benchmark for European facility efficiency.
Why it matters
The Code is the technical baseline of European data-centre efficiency: the document against which 'efficient operation' claims can actually be checked, and a bridge between voluntary practice and mandatory reporting.