IT & Data Centre
Sustainability inAustralia
Report prepared for Pure Storage, Inc.
Institute for Sustainable Futures
July 2023

UTS and ISF acknowledges the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, theBoorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and theGamaygal people upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would
also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging
them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.

Research Team•

Gordon Noble, Research Director•

Alison Atherton, Research Director•

Fiona Berry, Research Principal

Citation
Noble, G. and Atherton, A and Berry, F. (2023) Data Centre sustainability
in Australia. Report for Navigate Corporate Affairs Pty Ltd (acting forPure Storage, Inc.). Prepared by the Institute for Sustainable Future (ISF),
University of Technology Sydney, July 2023

About the authors
ISF is an independent research institute within the University of Technology
Sydney. We conduct transdisciplinary, project-based research in line with
our vision of creating positive change towards sustainable futures.
Disclaimer
The authors have used all due care and skill to ensure the material is accurate as at the date ofthis report. ISF and the authors do not accept any responsibility for any loss that may arise byanyone relying upon its contents.
© UTS 2023

Institute for Sustainable Futures
University of Technology Sydney
PO Box 123 Broadway, NSW, 2007
www.isf.uts.edu.au

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

Executive Summary

3

Survey findings

4

Analysis and conclusions

5

Introduction

6

Data centres and sustainability

6

Context

6

Research purpose

6

Methodology

8

Survey design

8

Survey distribution

8

Results

9

Data centres and sustainability

9

Sustainability data from data centres

11

Importance of data centres to reaching sustainability goals

12

Organisational sustainability

13

Survey demographic information15

Sources of information

17

Appendix A – Survey instrument

18

2Executive Summary
The impact of Australia’s changing climate on IT and Data Centre energy demand

IT and Data Centre sustainability risks

Much of the world’s data is stored, managed,

the reasons why many operators establish data

Outside of energy demand, data centres are exposedand distributed by data centres on behalf ofcentres in Ireland where temperatures are lower

clients in IT organisations within businesses andthan other parts of Europe. The attractivenesspublic sector organisations. These facilities,of Ireland as a location for data centres has put

both internal and external, and therefore the IT

pressure on Ireland’s energy grid. The coolingstrategists who utilise them, are increasinglyof data centres is also a significant focus for

exposed to significant environmental, social andSingapore which has just launched the world’s

governance (ESG) risks that are increasing due

first standard for optimising energy efficiency for

to a combination of factors including climate

data centres in tropical climates.

governance issue as Data Centre services providers alignAustralia is one of the most densely served

Infrastructure (SOCI) Act.

change, digitalisation of economies, geopoliticaltensions, and organised crime.

economies by data centres per capita3, with

The World Meteorological Organization’s recent

revenue in the Data Centre market forecast

declaration of the onset of El Niño conditions has

in Australia to pass $US 5 billion in 2023 ,the potential to result in dryer, warmer conditions

with multi-billion-dollar long term investment

across Australia that will impact on Australia’scommitments made by some large providers.

economy in many ways, not least being the

As Australia’s Data Centre industry grows

impact that it will have on driving energy

rapidly, at a time of increasing climate risks, howconsumption during hot weather.

well equipped are Australian data centres to1

Data centres are significant users of energy.
According to the International Energy Agency,
data centres and Data Transmission Networks
accounted for 0.9% of global energy-related
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions2. What is lesswell known is that one of the main reasons why
data centres use energy is for cooling. It is one ofData Centre Sustainability in Australia

4

manage the onset of El Niño? And perhaps mostimportantly, as data centres energy demandrises, do we risk instability of Australia’s energy
grid (which is happening in Ireland), that could
result in a serious conundrum on extreme heatto significant ESG risks that have largely escaped ourcollective attention. Data centres are large consumers ofwater. The ability of organised crime to access private data
has exposed businesses to attacks resulting in demands
for ransom. Australians are being targeted with increasingly
sophisticated attacks which resulted in the theft of $3.1
billion in 2022 alone. Data sovereignty is itself a majorwith the Australian Government’s Security of Critical

Globally there is an increasing focus on the need to manage
Data Centre ESG risks. The Climate Neutral Data Centre
Pact5 is an example of a voluntary initiative that is seeking
to meet commonly accepted goals for energy efficiency,
carbon-free or renewable energy, water conservation,
circular economy and heat recovery and reuse.
The global focus on Data Centre sustainability has, however,
yet to translate into specific private sector sustainability
focused initiatives for data centres in Australia. This is
despite Australia having one of the highest penetration rates
of individuals accessing the internet globally.6

days; do we cool our data centres or cool ourhomes?

3

Survey findings
To understand the challenges and opportunities to address IT and Data Centre sustainability risks, asurvey of sustainability professionals was conducted between May and June 2023. Key insights fromthe survey include:•

Sustainability professionals rely on quality data to inform their actions. Only 5% of respondents
felt that the quality of sustainability-related data received from Data Centre service operators
was detailed. 46% of respondents were receiving no sustainability-related data. In total 59% of
respondents either had insufficient, or no sustainability-related data from Data Centre service
operators.

•

77% of respondents either agreed, or somewhat agreed, that organisations cannot reach theirsustainability goals without significantly reducing Data Centre energy usage.

•

48% of respondents were fully aware or had some awareness of the amount of energy that data
centres consume. However, 29% of respondent’s organisations did not consider Data Centre
energy consumption at all. Only 22% of respondents indicated that their organisation pays
sufficient attention to Data Centre energy consumption.

•

81% of respondents thought that demand for data management would increase with 21% stating
it would significantly increase whereas 19% of respondents did not think demand for data
management would increase.

•

Over 70% of organisations surveyed had sustainability of data centres prioritised data centresin their practices but only 9% were fully considering it. Only 15% of respondents indicatedsustainability issues were a critical consideration for their organisation in procurement for Data
Centre service providers.

•

The most cited constraints when addressing Data Centre sustainability issues was knowledge
and awareness of sustainability risks (21%), insufficient budget (18%) and poor-quality data (16%).

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

4

Analysis and conclusions
The need for improved awareness of Data Centre sustainability is urgent as wesustainability issues that they prioritise. Without quality sustainability information,

move into a new era where businesses shift on-premises public and private cloudsustainability professionals are working in the dark.

services to corporate cloud services. This is occurring at a time when new businessapplications, including artificial intelligence and Language Models (LLM) are creating
increased demands for data. As businesses develop AI programs to serve theircustomers it will be important to understand exactly what the energy and water
implications are, not just for businesses themselves, but for Australians who will relyon services underpinned by AI technology.
Data centres in Australia are exposed to significant climate risks that are not yet
fully appreciated. The need for cooling of a Data Centre leads to increases in the
demand for energy and water at times of heat stress. In a continent that is exposed
to weather extremes, which climate change will only exacerbate, the energy use ofdata centres is material for companies and investors. The direct and indirect water
consumption of data centres at times of extreme heat and water stress must be
proactively managed.

Two of the megatrends facing business are sustainability and technology. Thereis increased demand for sustainability to be incorporated into business decisions.
Technology is increasingly important for businesses to achieve their objectives.
To respond to these megatrends, businesses develop deep sustainability andtechnology expertise, but they are largely functionally separated. We identify a needto establish structures that can institutionalise collaboration amongst sustainability
professionals and technology professionals.
Our recommendations are for Australia’s financial system, including corporations,banks and investors to work with the Australian Government to develop a framework
for IT & Data Centre Sustainability Roadmaps that would provide harmonised
reporting of:•

Climate-related sustainability data aligned with international climate-related
financial reporting standards.

improve the sustainability management of data centres across Australia.

•

Social and governance management practices including reporting of dataprotection standards and sovereignty of data arrangements.

Perhaps the most concerning result from our survey of sustainability professionals•

The NABERS rating of Data Centre facilities•

Whether an organisation has incorporated data services into a science-based
net zero transition plan

The results from our survey indicate that there are significant opportunities tois the lack of confidence in the sustainability-related data that sustainability
professionals can access. Only 5% of respondents felt that the quality ofsustainability-related data received from Data Centre service operators was detailed.
Sustainability professionals rely on quality information to make decisions on the

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

5Introduction
Data centres and sustainability

Research purpose

Data centres, which are dedicated buildings or a separated

The research project seeks to understand awareness amongst Australian sustainability

rooms that house technology for data processing,data storage and data communication for one or moreorganisations.7 Data centres have a long history goingback to the first programmable computer in 1945 and haveprofessionals of ESG risks data centres are exposed to, including climate risks. Through anunderstanding of the constraints and opportunities that these professionals face in implementing
sustainability initiatives in the operations of Data centres, actions can be developed to support
reducing Data Centre impacts and contributing to Australia’s transition net zero emissions.

grown in importance due to the rise of the digital economy.
The increased importance of Data centres, which now
underpins everyday activities from the delivery of goods
and services to the transfer of money and management ofContext

patient health, has resulted in the emergence of new ESG

IT and data centres are exposed to significant ESG risks

risks, such as:

Data centres are exposed to ESG risks that are briefly examined in this section of the report.

Environmental risks: data centres are large consumersof energy and water and are exposed to extreme weather

Environmental risks

events.

A particular focus of this research is the environmental risks associated with Data centres.

Social risks: data centres are at the frontline of defending

Key environmental risks facing data centres are the use of energy and water and exposure toAustralians against hacking and financial crimes.
Governance risks: data centres are subject to increased

climate risks including extreme heat.

governance requirements from the Australian Government

Energy consumption

who is responsible for responding to geopolitical risks.

The backbone of software is ‘data storage or processing services’ that are delivered by Australia’s

Sustainability professionals in Australia are managers of
ESG risks. Because sustainability professionals are at theforefront of efforts to integrate sustainability into practiceacross their institutions, they are well placed to provide
insights into the awareness of sustainability related risks
and opportunities for Data centres, particularly in relation
to Data Centre energy consumption.

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

data storage or processing sector.8 CO2 emissions from software-related activities accountfor 4-5% of global emissions.9 By 2040 it is estimated that software-related CO2 emissions
may account for 14% of the world’s carbon footprint.10 According to the International Energy
Agency, data centres and data transmission networks accounted for 0.9% of energy-related GHG
emissions. Global Data Centre electricity use in 2021 was 220-320 TWh2, or around 0.9-1.3% of
global final electricity demand.11
The growth in use of artificial intelligence and digital currencies has the potential to increase

6the demand for Data Centre services that is difficult

the region’s Data Centre market17, up to 40% of total

weather, including ‘compound extremes’, whereto estimate. The Cambridge Centre for Alternative

energy consumption of a typical Data Centre relates

multiple extreme events occur together or in sequence,

Finance estimates annualised consumption of 141.36

to cooling. To address the energy costs related tothus compounding their impacts.”21 For Data centres,

TWh for Bitcoin.12 There is significant uncertainty on

cooling data centres the Singapore Government has

the need to maintain stable temperatures will place

the energy use of ChatGPT due to factors including alaunched the world’s first standard for optimisingdemand on energy consumption during extreme heatlack of reporting.13

energy efficiency for data centres in tropical climateswaves.

which will result in data centres gradually increasing

One of the major reasons why data centres use somuch energy is for cooling. The need to cool data
centres is likely to be one of the reasons why Ireland,
due to its cool climate, has been a popular place to sitedata centres that serve the European Union. Irelandtemperatures from 22°C to 26°C and above.18

Social risks

Water consumption

From a social perspective, data centres are now at theData Centers are significant users of indirect and directsources of water. In the United States it is estimatedis now home to 25% of the data centres in Europe
including newly constructed hyperscale Data centres.

14

that 1 MWh of energy consumption by a data center
requires 7.1 m3 of water.19 Location of data centres
close to water sources is a key challenge. Concerns

However, the large number of Data centres, within Ireland’s energy grid. According to Ireland’s Central
Statistics Office electricity consumption by data
15

data centres increased by 265%. According to EirGrid,
Ireland’s energy grid manager, by 2031, 28% of all

The governance of data centres has received

in the west are located in areas with high levels ofwater stress, exacerbated by direct and indirect water

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

significant attention following the acquisition of Data
Centre operators by Chinese investors.23 24 Following
passage of the Security of Critical Infrastructure(SOCI) Act 2018, Australia is now implementing a
Hosting Certification Framework25 with three levels ofcertification: strategic, assured and uncertified. The

from data centres and other new large energy users.

16

South-East Asia accounting for more than 60% of

crimes in 2022.22

Governance risks

demands.20

electricity demand in Ireland is expected to comeFor Singapore, which is a hub for data centres inin Australians losing a record $3.1 billion to financial

new environmental stresses in other areas. Research
little to no water stress on average whilst data centres

period to December 2021 electricity consumption by

issued in 2022.

with increasingly sophisticated techniques has resulted

centers replace smaller data centers, this will introduce
in the US suggests that data centres in the east facecentres increased by 32% in 2021. Over a six-year

is leading to grid instability citing 8 the amber alerts

ability of organised crime groups to access private data

have been raised that as cloud and hyperscale data

projections for future growth, is leading to instability

EirGrid is concerned that the growth of data centres

frontline of defending against cyber security risks. The

Climate risks
Data centres are exposed to climate risks, including
physical risks from extreme weather events. The
Bureau of Meteorology’s State of the Climate 2022
Report projects that Australia will experience “anincrease in the risk of natural disasters from extreme

SOCI Act, through the Register of Critical Infrastructure
Assets, requires certain data centres to adopt andmaintain a critical infrastructure risk management
program which includes a focus on identifying material
risks that will result in major interruptions to the asset’s
function.26

7

How is Australia managing IT and Data
Centre ESG risks?
Data on the energy consumption of Australiandata centres is limited. National Australian
Built Environment Ratings System (NABERS)
ratings for data centres provide an indicationof the operational energy efficiency andenvironmental impact of data centresin Australia.27 Only 11 data centres havereceived a NABERS rating28 which is around
5% of co-located data centres in Australia.29

Methodology
Survey design

The survey was a combination of multiple choice,This project involved collecting evidence/data

See Appendix A for the full survey instrument.

via an online survey on the characteristics andawareness of data centres and sustainability.

The survey was approved via an internal UTS

The survey targeted a cohort of corporate

Ethics process and included a consent form forsustainability managers. Corporate sustainability

participation and a clear description of anonymity

managers have responsibility for managing ESG

and the output of survey results. The survey wasrisks in their organisations that may be private

built and distributed using Qualtrics software.

or public institutions. Because sustainability

Research by CSIRO, based on shared energy

professionals are at the forefront of efforts to

consumption data from the Australian Energy

integrate sustainability into practice acrossMarket Operator, indicates that the impact of

their institutions, they are well placed to provide

data centres on the energy grid is stable andinsights into awareness of sustainability related

predictable.

risks and opportunities for Data centres,

30

The Federal Government’s Digital
Transformation Agency recently established

Likert scales and open-ended response questions.

particularly in relation to Data Centre energy
consumption.

Survey distribution
The survey was launched on 15 May 2023 andclosed on 9 June 2023. The goal was to gather
data from at least 100 respondents.
A targeted call-to-action campaign combining
digital advertising (LinkedIn advertising), organic
social media and direct mail-outs was used toa new Data Centre Panel to promote

The survey was developed with 20 key questions,sustainable practices across the Data

approximately 10-15 minutes in duration,

Centre market. To be included on the panel,

covering:

received.

•demographic information such as sector,
organisation type and size,

The survey was not intended to be representative

organisation sustainability including
respondent’s sustainability responsibilities,
key issues, public sustainability disclosure,climate and emissions targets andconstraints, andsnapshot of the views of a self-selected cohort

awareness, data collection and demand
for sustainability of data centres in theorganisation’s corporate governance andoperations.

are largely limited to the sub-set of professionals

providers were required to have a 5-star
NABERS rating, target a Power Use Efficiency(PUE)31 of less than 1.4 and a roadmap tomeet net zero emissions.32 The DTA also has•

mandatory reporting requirements in place
to ensure that the Data Centre providers are
addressing sustainability measures, including
environment ratings, power consumption andpercentage renewable energy.

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia•

distribute the survey. A total of 103 responses wasor comprehensive and instead provided aof respondents who identify as sustainability
professionals. The total population of sustainability
professionals is unknown. As the primary
recruitment method was via LinkedIn, respondents
who use LinkedIn.

8

Results
Results are organised in sections:

Data centres and sustainability•

Data centres and sustainability

48% of respondent were fully aware or had some awareness of the amount of energy that data centres consume.

•

Sustainability data from Data centres•

Importance of data centres to reachingsustainability goals•

Organisational sustainability•

Survey demographic information

29% of respondent’s organisations did not consider Data Centre energy consumption at all.
Over a third of respondents did not know if sustainability issues were a consideration in procurement for Data
Centre service providers whilst only 15% of respondents indicated it was a critical consideration for theirorganisation.
22% of respondents thought their organisation pays sufficient attention to Data Centre energy consumption.
81% of respondents thought that demand for data management would increase with 21% stating it would
significantly increase. 19% of respondents did not think demand for date management would increase.

To what extent is your organisation aware of the amount of energy thatdata centres consume?

To what extent does your organisation consider Data Centre energy
consumption as part of its energy reduction activities?

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

9

To what extent are sustainability issues a consideration in the selectionof Data Centre service providers?

In your opinion does your organisation pay sufficient attention to Data
Centre energy consumption?

To the extent of your knowledge, in the next 12 months, to what extent will
demand for data management in your organisation increase?

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

10

Sustainability data from data centres
Only 6% of respondents felt that the quality ofWhich of the following best describes the quality of sustainability-related
data received from Data Centre service operators?

sustainability-related data received from Data
Centre service operators was detailed. 46% ofrespondents were receiving no sustainabilityrelated data. In total 60% of respondents either
had insufficient, or no, sustainability-related data.

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

11

Importance of data centres to reachingsustainability goals

To what extent is your organisation aware of the amount of energy thatdata centres consume?

77% of respondents either agreed, or somewhat agreed,that organisations cannot reach their sustainability goals
without significantly reducing Data Centre energy usage.
Over 70% of respondent organisations had the sustainabilityof data centres on their radar with 10% fully considering.

Which of the following best describes how data centres are considered in the overallmanagement of sustainability by the organisation you work for?

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

12Organisational sustainability
53% of respondents’ organisations had made a public commitment to a net zero emissions
target. A variety of dates were given for the first interim target with the most commonlyreferenced date being 2030.
76% of respondents publish climate related data that aligns to a recognised standard such as
Taskforce on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
The most commonly cited constraint when addressing sustainability issues was knowledge andawareness of sustainability risks (21%), not enough budget (18%) and poor-quality date (16%).

Which of the following, if any, are constraints when

Which of the following sustainability issues are material for

addressing sustainability issues? Please select all that apply.

your organisation? Please select all that apply.

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

13

Has your organisation madeDoes your organisationa public commitment to a net

have an internal climate

zero emissions target?

change related target/s?

Does your organisation

Does your organisation

have an interim

publish climate related data

emissions target/s?

that aligns to a recognised
standard such as Taskforce
on Climate Related Financial
Disclosures (TCFD)?

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

14

Survey demographic information

Approximately what proportion of your role is allocated to sustainability?

A broad cross section of respondents from 15
sectors responded to the survey. The largest
number of respondents came from financial
services (15%), real estate (13%), construction(13%), accommodation and food services (17%).
50% of respondents came from organisations
with over 200 employees.
52% of respondents were from the private
sector with 38% from the public sector.
One third of respondents did not know how
their organisations use Data Centre services

Which sector do you work in?

whilst 41% outsourced to third party providers.
27% operated a Data Centre in-house.

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

15

Approximately what size is your organisation?

What type of organisation
do you work for?

How does your organisation
use Data Centre services?

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

16

Sources of information1

https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/world-meteorological-organization-

18

declares-onset-of-el-ni%C3%B1o-conditions
2

https://www.iea.org/reports/data-centres-and-data-transmission-networks

3

https://cloudscene.com/market/data-centers-in-australia/all4

https://www.statista.com/outlook/tmo/data-center/australia

5

https://www.climateneutraldatacentre.net/

6

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.USER.ZS?locations=AU7

https://c2e2.unepccc.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/10/data-centresdigitalisation-powerhouse-and-energy-efficiency-potential-en-1.pdf

8

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2022C00160

9

https://stateof.greensoftware.foundation/insights/software-emissions-are-equivalentto-air-rail-shipping-combined/10

https://hbr.org/2020/09/how-green-is-your-software

11

https://www.iea.org/reports/data-centres-and-data-transmission-networks

12

https://ccaf.io/cbnsi/cbeci

13

15

releases/2023/imda-introduces-sustainability-standard-for-data-centres-operating-intropical-climates
19

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/abfba1

20

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/abfba1

21

http://www.bom.gov.au/state-of-the-climate/2022/documents/2022-state-of-theclimate-web.pdf

22

over-3bn-from-australians
23

Switch,Switch%20announcement%20at%20the%20time.
24

https://www.hostingcertification.gov.au/25

https://www.dta.gov.au/our-projects/hardening-government-it-hgit-initiative

26

https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/reports-and-pubs/files/draft-risk-managementprogram-guidance.pdf
https://www.nabers.gov.au/ratings/spaces-we-rate/data-centres

28

https://nabers.info/annual-report/2021-2022/data-centres-energy/

29

https://near.csiro.au/public/assets/669e70f6-9c53-4eb2-9728-37a13f76edb1/D_11_2.pdf

hosting-cluster-1.3808500#

30

https://near.csiro.au/public/assets/669e70f6-9c53-4eb2-9728-37a13f76edb1/D_11_2.pdf

https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-dcmec/

31

Power usage effectiveness (PUE) is a ratio of total facility power to the IT equipment

https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/11/14/1063192/were-getting-a-better-idea-of-

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/dublin-is-now-europe-s-largest-data-

https://www.eirgridgroup.com/site-files/library/EirGrid/EirGrid_SONI_Ireland_Capacity_
Outlook_2022-2031.pdf

17

https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/global-switch-talks-with-eqt-still-salecontrol-sources-2023-03-17/#:~:text=Founded%20in%201998%2C%20Global%20

datacentresmeteredelectricityconsumption2021/keyfindings/
16

https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-calls-for-united-front-as-scammers-steal-27

ais-true-carbon-footprint/
14

https://www.imda.gov.sg/content-and-news/press-releases-and-speeches/press-

power, with the ideal being a PUE of 1.
32

https://www.dta.gov.au/blogs/new-data-centre-panel

https://www.nccs.gov.sg/files/docs/default-source/default-document-library/greendata-centre-technology-roadmap.pdf

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

17

Appendix A – Survey instrument
Data Centre sustainability in Australia
Information for participantsYour participation

Outputs

From 1 May 2023 to 26 May 2023 researchers fromYour participation will involve completing an online

One of the objectives of this project is to contribute tosurvey that will ask about Data Centre sustainability

initiatives to manage Data Centre sustainability. This will

and organisation sustainability. The survey explores

be done through a report of survey findings that we will

the current level of awareness of sustainability risks

distribute publicly. ISF will hold a public webinar to present

and opportunities for data centres and the current

the report.

the Institute for Sustainable Futures, Universityof Technology Sydney are undertaking a study
to explore the awareness amongst industry
professionals of the climate risks that data centres
are exposed to in the Australian context.

level of progress on implementing initiatives to address

The purpose of the research is to provide an

and will take approximately 10-15 minutes of your time.

evidence base to inform efforts to improve Data
Centre sustainability. Much of the world’s data
are stored, managed, and distributed by Data
centres. Data centres require significant energy tooperate, accounting for around 1.8% of electricity
use in the United States. Data centres also requiresignificant amounts of water for cooling which area factor in the expansion into regions subject tosustainability risks and opportunities for data centres

ISF researchers
This research will be undertaken by Gordon Noble

You are invited to complete the survey because of yourResearch Director (+61 411 109 998) and Alison Athertonrole as a corporate sustainability manager working in

and Judith Zhu from the Institute for Sustainable Futures.

Australia. Your participation is entirely voluntary, and wewill seek your consent to participate at the start of thesurvey. You are free to withdraw from participating at
any time without providing a reason.

Research ethics
Studies undertaken by the Institute for Sustainable
Futures have been approved in principle by the University

We will not identify individuals when reporting theof Technology Sydney, Human Research Ethics

results of the research.

Committee.

industry associations on managing Data Centre

Information you provide may be quoted in the report,

If you have any complaints or reservations about any

sustainability.

however the quote will not be attributed to you.

aspect of your participation in this research you may

This research project is funded by Navigate

The results of this research may also be shared throughCorporate Affairs Pty Ltd (acting for Pure Storage,

open access (public) scientific databases, includingInc.). As part of this research ISF researchers willinternet databases. This will enable other researchers

survey the awareness amongst Australian corporate

to use the data to investigate other important researchsustainability managers of sustainability related

questions. Results shared in this way will always be de-risks and opportunities for Data centres, particularly

identified by removing all personal information.

water scarcity challenges including Australia. Thereis increasing focus by Data Centre operators andin relation to Data Centre energy consumption.

contact the ISF Ethics Coordinators, (ISF-Ethics@uts.edu.
au,+61 29514 4950) or the ISF Responsible Academic,
Dr Keren Winterford (Keren.Winterford@uts.edu.au),+61
29514 4950).You may also contact the UTS Ethics
Committee through the Research Ethics Officer (029514
9772, Research.Ethics@uts.edu.au).
Any complaint you make will be treated in confidence andinvestigated fully and you will be informed of the outcome.

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

18

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia
Consent
I agree to participate in the research project Data Centre

SurveyThis survey is for sustainability managers

Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (1)that work for organisations in Australia

Mining (2)utilising Data Centre services.

Sustainability in Australia being conducted by theInstitute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) of the University ofTechnology Sydney and funded by Navigate Corporate
Affairs Pty Ltd (acting for Pure Storage, Inc.).

Q2) Which sector do you work in?

Q1) Approximately what proportion ofyour role is allocated to sustainability?

Manufacturing (3)Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services (4)Construction (5)0% (1)

Wholesale Trade (6)1-25% (2)Retail Trade (7)in the Participant Information.

26-50% (3)Accommodation and Food Services (8)I freely agree to participate in this research project as51-75% (4)Transport, Postal and Warehousing (9)described and understand that I am free to withdraw

76-100% (5)Information Media and Telecommunications (10)I have read the Participant Information above. I understandthe purposes and processes of the research as describedwithout affecting my relationship with the researchers.
I understand that the research data gathered from thisproject will be published in a form that will not identify mein any way.
I understand that the information I provide may be quoted
in the report, however the quote will not be attributed to me
as an individual. Refer to Information for Participants forfurther information.
To complete the survey, please ensure that you have readthe information on this page and if you agree to participate,please indicate this below.

Demographic information
The following questions are about theorganisation you work for.

Financial and Insurance Services (11)
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services (12)Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (13)Administrative and Support Services (14)Public Administration and Safety (15)
Education and Training (16)Health Care and Social Assistance (17)Arts and Recreation Services (18)Other Services (19)

I wish to participate (1)I do not wish to participate (2)Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

19Q3) Approximately what size is yourOrganisation sustainability

Q7) Has your organisation made a publicorganisation?

The following questions are about the sustainability

commitment to a net-zero emissions target?

Small (less than 20 employees) (1)of the organisation you work for.

Medium (20-199 employees) (2)Large (200 or more employees) (3)Don’t know (4)Yes (1)
No (2)

Q6) Which of the following sustainability issues
are material for your organisation? Please selectQ8) Does your organisation have an internal

all that apply.

climate change related target/s?

Governance (1)Yes (1)

Private sector (1)Water (Consumption and Pollution) (2)No (2)

Voluntary Sector (2)Biodiversity (3)Public sector (3)Energy / Emissions (4)Other – please state (4)Waste / Circular economy (5)Q4) What type of organisation do you work for?

Supplier / Procurement Environmental

Q5) How does your organisation use Data
Centre services?
In house (1)Outsourced to third party providers (2)Don’t know (3)Assessment (6)Q9) Does your organisation have an interim
emissions target?
Yes (1)
No (2)

Employment / Labour / management relations (7)Q10) If yes to Question 9, what year is yourOccupational health and safety (8)organisation’s earliest interim emissions target?

Training and education (9)Q11) Does your organisation publish climate

Diversity and equal opportunity (10)related data that aligns to a recognised standard

Other (11)such as Taskforce on Climate Related Financial
Disclosures (TCFD)?
Yes (1)
No (2)

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

20Q12) Which of the following, if any, are constraints when addressing

Q15) To what extent are sustainability issues a consideration in the selection of Datasustainability issues? Please select all that apply.

Centre service providers?

Not enough budget (1)Critical consideration (1)Lack of management buy-in (2)Somewhat considered (2)Knowledge and awareness of sustainability issues (3)Not a consideration at all (3)Lack of communication across teams (4)Don’t know (4)No authority to implement needed programs (5)Poor data quality (6)Other - please specify (7)Q13) To what extent is your organisation aware of the amount ofenergy that data centres consume?
Fully aware (1)There is some awareness (2)There is little awareness (3)Q16) In your opinion does your organisation pay sufficient attention to Data Centre
energy consumption?
Yes, the organisation pays sufficient attention (1)No, the organisation doesn’t pay sufficient attention (2)No opinion (3)Q17) To the extent of your knowledge, in the next 12 months, to what extent will
demand for data management in your organisation increase?
Significantly increase (1)There is no awareness (4)Somewhat increase (2)Don’t know (5)Increase a little (3)Q14) To what extent does your organisation consider Data Centre
energy consumption as part of its energy reduction activities?
They are fully considering (1)They consider but could do more (2)Not increase at all (4)Q18) Which of the following best describes the quality of sustainability-related data
received from Data Centre service operators:
Sustainability-related data is detailed (1)They consider it a little (3)Some sustainability-related data is provided (2)They do not consider it at all (4)Insufficient sustainability-related data is provided (3)No data is received (4)Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

21Q19) To what extent do you agree with the following statement?
Organisations cannot reach their sustainability goals without significantly
reducing Data Centre energy usage.
Strongly agree (1)Somewhat agree (2)Somewhat disagree (3)Strongly disagree (4)Q20) Which of the following best describes how data centres are consideredin the overall management of sustainability by the organisation you work for?
They are fully considering (1)They consider but could do more (2)They consider it a little (3)They do not consider it at all (4)Q34 To receive a copy of a report examining the findings from the survey
please provide your email address. Email addresses will not be used for any
other purposes and will be stored separately from survey results to maintainde-identification of survey results.

Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

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Data Centre Sustainability in Australia

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