EU green public procurement criteria for data centres, server rooms and cloud services - SWD(2020) 55 final

Overview

The criteria are voluntary and written so that public authorities can integrate them, partly or fully, into tender documents with minimal editing. The document splits them into selection criteria (SC), technical specifications (TS), award criteria (AC) and contract performance clauses (CPC). Each can have two levels: core criteria, which keep administrative cost low, and comprehensive criteria, which cover more aspects or higher performance. Where both levels are identical the text says "same for core and comprehensive". The full rationale and references sit in a separate technical report.

Scope covers data centres, server rooms and cloud services. A server room is described as a smaller-scale enterprise data centre, indicatively under 46 m2 and up to 25 racks. For cloud services (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) the scope extends only to the data centre component. Types are enterprise, colocation and managed service provider (MSP). For cloud procurement the document gives guidance by stage: pre-procurement market evaluation, the competitive stage (corporate policies may serve as verification evidence only if tied to the facilities used for the contract) and contract execution (independent third-party audits).

Technical specifications cover equipment and facility design. TS1 sets minimum server active state efficiency measured to EN 303470 (core: 1-socket rack 11.0, 2-socket rack 13.0, 2-socket blade or multi-node 14.0; comprehensive: 2-socket rack 18.0). TS2 requires ICT to support operating class A2 (core) or A3 (comprehensive) for air cooling and W2/W3 (core) or W4/W5 (comprehensive) for liquid cooling, tested for at least 16 hours (core) or 88 hours (comprehensive). TS9 requires REF = 1 for third-party operated centres and TS10 a weighted average refrigerant GWP of at most 10.

Award and contract clauses tie design to operation. AC5 awards points for the best designed PUE at a stated IT load (for example 50% of design), with PUE determined per ISO/IEC 30134-2 or EN 50600-4-2. CPC4 requires a PUE demonstration at handover with IT load simulated at part and full load, and CPC5 requires monitoring of PUE input values through annual and monthly metered data. AC11 scores refrigerant GWP: x points for 0-10, 0.6x for 11-150 and 0.2x for 151-750. The final section covers life cycle costing, for example enterprise data centres with IT CAPEX of 30-40% and facilities CAPEX of 15-20% as an indicative split.

The document states its limits. The criteria are a voluntary tool for public authorities and compliance with EU public procurement law (for example Directive 2014/24) remains the authority's responsibility. Some criteria apply only to certain procurement types or where a third party operates the facility, and percentages and points (for example the ERF share for waste heat) are set by the contracting authority. Criteria should be adapted to local conditions: waste heat criteria are recommended only where heat demand or district heating exists nearby. Appendices I-III give air and liquid cooling operating classes and ecodesign idle power allowances.

Key points

1. TS1 minimum server active state efficiency (EN 303470), core: 1-socket rack 11.0, 1-socket tower 9.4, 2-socket rack 13.0, 2-socket tower 12.0, 2-socket blade/multi-node 14.0, 4-socket rack 16.0; comprehensive: 2-socket rack 18.0 and blade/multi-node 20.0.
2. TS2: ICT must support class A2 (core) or A3 (comprehensive) with at least 16 or 88 test hours respectively; for liquid cooling W2/W3 (core) or W4/W5 (comprehensive).
3. Liquid cooling classes for facility supply water: W2 2-27 C, W3 2-32 C, W4 2-45 C and W5 above 45 C.
4. TS9: REF must equal 1 (100% renewable) for third-party operated centres, calculated per EN 50600-4-3.
5. TS10: weighted average GWP of the refrigerant mixture must not exceed 10 unless exceptional reasons are documented; calculated per Annex IV of Regulation (EU) No 517/2014.
6. AC5 awards points for the best designed PUE at a given IT load (e.g. 50% of design); AC6 scores improvement potential against historical PUE.
7. AC11 points: x for GWP 0-10, 0.6x for 11-150, 0.2x for 151-750.
8. CPC4 requires a handover PUE test with IT load simulated at part and full load; CPC5 requires annual and monthly disaggregated metered data.
9. TS5 environmental monitoring must measure supply and return air, cold/hot aisle temperature, external and room relative humidity, under-floor air pressure and coolant flow rates (EN 50600-2-3).
10. Idle power: Pidle = Pbase + component allowances; Pbase is 25 W (1-socket), 38 W (2-socket) and 40 W (blade/multi-node).

Using it in design

• Create an "EU GPP 2020 (core/comprehensive)" compliance profile: check refrigerant GWP <= 10 in the cooling catalogue, REF = 1 for third-party facilities, ICT class A2/A3 and the W class of liquid loops.
• Have the PUE calculator output designed PUE at specified partial loads (e.g. 50%) for AC5 tender responses, per ISO/IEC 30134-2 or EN 50600-4-2.
• Make the commissioning module produce a PUE handover test report for CPC4, with simulated IT load at part and full load and power and cooling in automatic mode.
• In liquid cooling designs map facility supply water temperature to classes W2-W5, and for the core TS8 level plan routing for facility water pipework reaching each rack row.
• Include the TS5 measurement points and CPC5 monthly total, mechanical-electrical and IT sub-metering in the metering plan from the start.
• Enable waste heat criteria by default only for sites with nearby heat demand or district heating; ERF is calculated per EN 50600-4-6:2020.

Who should read it

Engineers and procurement specialists writing or bidding on public tenders for data centres, server rooms or cloud services.

Document contents

1. Introduction
2. Definition and scope
3. Applicability of the green public procurement criteria
4. General note on verification
5. Procurement of cloud services
6. Key environmental impacts from data centres and server rooms
7. EU GPP criteria for the purchase of data centres and server rooms
8. Selection criteria
9. Technical specification
10. Award criteria
11. Contract performance clauses
12. Life cycle costing
13. Appendix I: Operating condition classes for air cooling
14. Appendix II: Operating condition classes for liquid cooling
15. Appendix III: Idle state power

Related standards

• EN 50600-4-2
• EN 50600-4-3
• ISO/IEC 30134-2
• EN 303470
• Regulation (EU) 2019/424
• Regulation (EU) No 517/2014

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Publication details

Authors

European Commission

Publisher

European Commission

Year

2020

Document number

SWD(2020) 55 final

Document language

English

Source type

Government / public

Access

Open licence — downloadable

Licence

EU reuse (2011/833/EU) — reuse permitted with acknowledgement of the source

Licence evidence

commission.europa.eu

Citation