Circularity Efforts at CyrusOne
Circularity
Circularity, also referred to as a transition to a Circular Economy, is a model of production and consumption that involves the reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling of existing materials and products as a means of continuing production in a sustainable or environmentally friendly way. At its best, a circular economy reduces material use, redesigns materials, products, and services to be less resource intensive, and recaptures “waste” as a resource to manufacture new materials and products. At CyrusOne, we invest in and employ a variety of methods within our facilities that help the transition to a circular economy, from initial design to construction and operation. When it comes to circularity, we focus on four main areas where we employ sustainable methods including material selection, waste management, and waste heat reuse.
Material Selection
In addition to reducing energy-related carbon emissions, CyrusOne also works to reduce the emissions associated with the methods and materials used to construct our data centers. With this goal in mind, CyrusOne is piloting and investigating sustainable building materials and alternative methods that produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions than traditional methods and materials, as well as reducing other impacts to human health and the environment.
Waste Management
To better transition to a circular economy, CyrusOne consistently looks for opportunities to improve waste management and circularity in our operations. In our facilities and throughout the company, many efficient and sustainable waste reduction techniques are employed including paperless systems, general recycling, battery recycling and assisting our customers with electronic waste recycling.
Waste Heat Reuse
The main waste product from our facilities is the heat given off by IT equipment. At CyrusOne, we are looking for new and innovative ways to reuse that waste heat through partnership with nearby communities. While this is a developing field, CyrusOne is trialing building facilities that are designed to be able to tie into regional heat distribution systems – something much easier to do in new construction than to retrofit after the facility is in operation.
