DATACENTER EFFICIENCY
AND EMISSIONS
MEASURED, NOT GUESSED

The SDEA Navigator is a unique online tool designed to precisely measure the operational efficiency and sustainability of datacenters and IT infrastructures. It allows to measure the end-to-end energy flow within a datacenter; from ingress energy, PUE, and heat recycling to the utilization of servers, storage, and network, and the operational carbon footprint. ​​ The Navigator combines widely recognized industry standards such as EN 50600 and ISO/IEC 30134 into a single platform, helping datacenters not only meet, but exceed industry standards for efficiency and sustainability.

The SDEA Navigator provides a comprehensive, full-stack assessment of your DC’s efficiency and environmental impact through three specialized calculators that can be used individually or combined as an integrated index, offering flexibility to focus on specific areas or gain a complete overview of your efficiency.: ​ DC Infrastructure Efficiency: An enhanced PUE calculator that includes options for heat recovery or on-premise renewables. IT Infrastructure Efficiency: Measures the utilization of servers, storage, and network – and also considers factors like technology excellence and operating temperature classification. Carbon Footprint: An enhanced CUE calculator that includes life-cycle emissions of ingress energy to calculate the operational emissions. ​ Together, these calculators provide a comprehensive overview of your DC’s sustainability, enabling you to enhance efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and ensure compliance with industry standards.

To get started with the SDEA Navigator, simply create an account on navigator.sdea.ch and open a dashboard. Enter your KPIs for your datacenter, IT infrastructure, or both, and the Navigator will automatically calculate your efficiency indices and your carbon footprint. ​ If your results meet your efficiency goals, you can easily transition from measurement to certification with the SDEA Label, demonstrating your commitment to sustainability and regulatory compliance.

Unlike traditional labels or standards that focus on isolated efficiency metrics, SDEA Label combines all critical aspects of datacenter and IT infrastructure sustainability into a single certification. ​​ While it reflects elements from well-known standards such as EN 50600 and ISO/IEC 30134 – including PUE, heat recycling, server utilization, or carbon emissions – it goes further by enhancing and integrating them into a unified framework that covers both infrastructure efficiency and environmental sustainability. ​ SDEA Label doesn’t stand for buzzwords, checkboxes, or vague promises – it stands for measured and verified efficiency. Real results for real sustainability.

SDEA Label goes beyond compliance – it’s designed for datacenters that don’t just meet expectations but actively drive progress. While ensuring alignment with ESG goals and global regulations, it’s a mark for those committed to measurable excellence in both efficiency and emissions. Built for pioneers, not box-tickers, the SDEA Label certifies the full-stack performance of your infrastructure – from energy use to IT efficiency and carbon impact – and positions your datacenter as a trusted leader in sustainable digital operations.

First, create an account in the SDEA Navigator and open a dashboard to input your KPIs. The Navigator automatically calculates your efficiency indices, providing a comprehensive view of your operational efficiency and environmental sustainability. Once you’ve reviewed your metrics and have reached the label thresholds, an independent auditor will validate your results – and the SDEA Board will review the audit report to determine your certification level. ​ Whether it’s GOLD, SILVER, or BRONZE, achieving SDEA Label showcases your commitment to sustainability and ensures your DC is prepared for the challenges of the future.

We measure the efficiency of your datacenter infrastructure using a metric we call PUE⁺, an enhanced metric that builds on Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) – but captures much more than energy ratios alone. Our method includes not just the balance between IT power and facility overhead, but also key sustainability factors such as waste heat recovery, on-premise renewable energy, and the carbon intensity of the electricity used. These inputs provide a clear view of your datacenter’s real-world efficiency and its measured CO₂ footprint. The result is a comprehensive infrastructure efficiency score – designed to reflect operational quality, environmental impact, and readiness for tomorrow’s regulatory landscape.

We measure IT efficiency by evaluating how effectively the key components of your IT infrastructure – servers, storage systems, and network equipment – are used in relation to the energy they consume. Our methodology looks at both utilization (how busy and productive your systems are) and technology quality (such as the energy efficiency of power supplies, storage devices, and rack equipment). We also take into account the thermal tolerance of your IT hardware – systems that operate reliably at higher temperatures help reduce cooling needs at the datacenter level. By combining these metrics, we create a detailed efficiency score that reflects not just energy use, but how efficiently your IT resources are deployed, supporting more sustainable digital operations.

Not yet – but we're actively working on it. While the current SDEA metrics focus on electrical energy and carbon emissions, we recognize that water usage represents a significant energy-related impact in many cooling systems. We are currently developing a method to integrate water evaporation into our PUE⁺ metric as an additional energy-equivalent factor, while maintaining regional flexibility and operational fairness.