Site Selection Subhead
Site Selection to Minimize Harm
CyrusOne’s sustainability approach attempts to take a holistic view of environmental impact. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and providing industry-competitive energy efficiency without sacrificing water or imposing negative impacts on biodiversity where we operate. Instead, we strive to make our impact on the environment a positive one by restoring water to watersheds in high-stress regions and improving habitats on or near our data center campuses to not only do “less harm” but also do “more good.”
When looking for new data center locations, we prioritize sites in areas already designated for data centers or similar uses via zoning, or in existing planned developments like technology or business parks. This selection process, along with environmental impact assessments and protected areas assessments, helps us ensure that our facilities are not replacing valuable existing wildlife habitats. By understanding sensitive habitats that are on or adjacent to the sites we’re considering, we can anticipate and mitigate impacts during site selection.
Our approach to managing risks related to habitat largely revolves around minimizing the harm from the selection of our sites. To evaluate this, we use two forms of risk assessments:
Environmental Impact Assessments: Habitat impacts are a significant aspect of the Environmental Impact Assessments required by law in many markets before the construction of a new facility. By considering sensitive habitats when selecting project sites, we avoid harm and minimize the need for remedial activities and project delays.
Protected Areas Assessment: To monitor our ongoing risk related to habitat, we conduct periodic Protected Areas Assessments to verify that our facilities are not adjacent to any protected areas or that adjacent areas have not become protected since construction. This allows us to continue to monitor potential critical habitat issues after a site is in operation.
Thoughtful site selection means that we aren’t disrupting healthy natural habitats to build our data centers. On the contrary, we choose sites with minimal habitat value and work to enhance them after construction with landscaping that incorporates native species and supports local wildlife. (See our page on Onsite Habitat Improvement.)
