The Federal Sustainability Plan outlines measures to reduce the environmental impact of federal operations. A key aspect is improving energy efficiency in data centers. The plan focuses on using smart, grid-integrated controls, equipment, and devices to accomplish this. The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) plays a pivotal role in this initiative by encouraging agencies to adopt best practices for energy-efficient data center design. FEMP’s updated guidelines focus on integrating new technologies that have emerged since 2011, addressing modern data centers’ increased energy and water demands. The guidelines highlight the importance of optimizing information technology systems, environmental conditions, air management, cooling, and electrical systems to achieve significant energy savings.
In line with these efforts, the General Services Administration (GSA) has allocated $975 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to upgrade federal buildings with emerging and sustainable technologies. The GSA aims to double this investment by leveraging private sector funds, deploying $1.9 billion to support sustainable technology integration across federal facilities.
The federal government is also focusing on the environmental impact of its procurement processes. For instance, the Alliant 2 Governmentwide Acquisition Contract requires contractors to disclose greenhouse gas emissions and set reduction targets, demonstrating a commitment to environmental sustainability in federal contracting. These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to reduce waste, minimize the use of hazardous materials, and drive markets for recycled products. The Federal Sustainability Plan sets ambitious targets, including diverting 50% of building non-hazardous waste and construction debris by 2025 and 75% by 2030. Agencies are also pursuing net-zero emissions from overall federal operations by 2050, including a 65% reduction by 2030.
The emphasis on sustainable IT infrastructure is further underscored by recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI). The growing energy demands of AI technologies have prompted the federal government to support the rapid development of large-scale AI data centers powered by clean energy. An executive order signed by President Biden mandates federal agencies to expedite the construction of AI data centers and clean power facilities, ensuring these structures can be built swiftly and integrated with the electric grid. The Department of Defense and the Department of Energy are tasked with identifying sites for private sector development of these centers, with a requirement that developers finance the construction and provide adequate clean power generation to meet the full capacity needs of these centers.
These comprehensive efforts reflect the federal government’s commitment to leading by example in environmental stewardship. By investing in energy-efficient data centers and sustainable IT infrastructure, the government aims to reduce its carbon footprint, promote innovation in green technologies, and set a benchmark for environmental responsibility in the public sector.
