Sustainable Design Driven by LEED AP

RKD honoured at Greenbuild Europe 2018

At the beginning of 2017, RKD was commissioned by Microsoft to deliver a volume prototype to commence the LEED V4 certification for Data Centres in the procurement of data centres as part of its global sustainability programme.

The result is a collaboration between USGBC, Microsoft and RKD to create a standardized set of design and expected performance criteria under LEED V4 that will serve as a “blueprint” for Microsoft to build and certify greener, more efficient data centres. By building their new data centre, Microsoft expects to save energy, water, resources, generate less waste and support human health. 

“RKD is now retained as LEED Volume Programme Administrator (VPA), assisting Microsoft in managing the LEED certification of the first three data centres projects to seek certification under the Volume Programme in the US and EMEA.”

This represents a big step forward in standardizing some of these innovative approaches and driving greener, more efficient data centres from design to operation to maintenance. 

From left to right: Sean Hogan – lead of sustainability in RKD, Mahesh Ramanujam – President and Chief Executive Officer at U.S. Green Building Council, Johan Wilken is a director in RKD, and he is head of the Cork practice. 

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Available for virtually all building, community and home project types, LEED provides a framework to create healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement.