SDEA LABEL
Recognized Datacenter Excellence
The only certification that proves – not claims – world-class energy efficiency, carbon emissions, and water usage. Independently verified. Exclusively awarded to operators who meet the industry's highest standards.
Whether you operate datacenter facilities, manage IT infrastructure, or own complete operations – SDEA Label provides measurable proof that sets you apart in an industry drowning in sustainability marketing.
WHY SDEA LABEL MATTERS
Everyone Claims Sustainability
Sustainability claims saturate the industry. Self-reported metrics, greenwashing, and unverified marketing. Stakeholders can't distinguish real performance from noise.
The Result: Operators doing genuine sustainability work get lost in the noise – excellence goes unrecognized, marketing wins.
We Provide Proof
SDEA Label delivers what marketing can't: independent verification, practical measurement thresholds, and comprehensive assessment across your full operation.
Key Differentiator: Unlike self-reported certifications, SDEA Label requires independent auditing that proves operational excellence.
DATACENTER INFRASTRUCTURE CERTIFICATION
PUE⁺
PUE⁺
What Gets Certified
PUE⁺
CUE⁺
WUE⁺
Facility energy flow, including waste heat recovery and renewable generation
Operational emissions, including lifecycle impact of all energy sources
Water consumption, including recycling capabilities and regional stress levels
Who This Is For
Colocation Providers
Win enterprise clients with verified sustainability proof, not marketing claims
Enterprise Datacenters
Meet ESG requirements. Prove operational excellence with independent verification
Hyperscalers
Set industry benchmarks. Achieve recognition matching your technical leadership
IT INFRASTRUCTURE CERTIFICATION
PUE⁺
PUE⁺
What Gets Certified
Utilization
Virtualization
Technology
Resource efficiency across servers, storage, and network infrastructure
Workload consolidation through VMs, containers, and modern architecture
Efficient hardware, including flash storage, fiber optics, intelligent power
Who This Is For
Enterprise IT Departments
Prove IT efficiency contributions to corporate ESG goals with verified data
Cloud Providers
Differentiate with independently verified compute efficiency and measurable sustainability
IT Infrastructure Teams
Gain recognition for optimization work and infrastructure investments
FULL-STACK
CERTIFICATION
PUE⁺
PUE⁺
What Gets Certified
DC Efficiency
IT Efficiency
Resources
Complete facility performance: PUE⁺, waste heat recovery, on-site renewables
Complete compute performance: utilization, virtualization, and technology excellence
Operational emissions and water consumption, including recycling and water stress
Who This Is For
Enterprise DC Owners
Achieve highest recognition by certifying both facility and IT infrastructure
IT in Certified Facilities
Add IT certification to complement your facility's existing SDEA Label
Sustainability Frontrunners
Lead the industry with complete operational transparency and verified excellence
THREE STEPS TO
SDEA LABEL
1
Account & Measurement
Create an account in the SDEA Navigator and set up dashboards for each certification application.
Each dashboard provides four calculators evaluating DC infrastructure, IT infrastructure, carbon emissions, and water usage – individually or combined. Enter 12 months of measured data and the Navigator calculates your efficiency metrics.
The KPI Factsheet provides an overview; full documentation is available when you register in the Navigator.
2
Certification & Scope
With your data entered, launch certification and select your scope:
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DC Infrastructure Only: Focuses on your DC's energy efficiency, emissions, and water use
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IT Infrastructure Only: Focuses on your IT's energy efficiency, independent of where it's hosted.
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DC Instance: Covers both the DC and IT infrastructure owned by the same organization, or if the IT is hosted in an SDEA certified DC
Certification requires meeting performance thresholds.
3
Audit & Validation
After submitting your data, engage an independent auditor – your own, or choose from our list provided in your Certification Guide – to verify your metrics.
The SDEA Board reviews the audit report and determines your certification level: PLATINUM, GOLD, SILVER, or BRONZE.
Upon approval, receive your certification toolkit and communication guidelines.
Certification is valid for three years.