CyrusOne's West Houston Data Center Campus Earns LEED Silver
The West Houston data center is the first LEED-certified colocation facility in Houston
CyrusOne, a preeminent enterprise data center colocation provider, recently earned LEED@ Silver Certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) for the environmentally friendly design of its West Houston Data Center, located along the North West Beltway between Interstate I-10 and Highway 290. The CyrusOne West Houston data center is the first Core and Shell to be certified in Houston and the second data center to be certified in Houston.
LEED certification of CyrusOne's West Houston campus was based on a number of green design and construction features. Energy efficiency measures include an improved thermal envelope, high efficiency glazing, reduced interior lighting power density, occupancy sensors, reduced exterior lighting power, high efficiency air-cooled chillers and high efficiency HVAC systems.
"We are honored to be recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council for our West Houston data center campus and consider the use of LEED sustainable design guidelines to be an extension and demonstration of our commitment to corporate stewardship," said David Ferdman, CEO, CyrusOne. "While our state-of-art facility provides an enhanced work environment, its value to our customers is a secure and reliable data center with focus on resiliencies and redundancies."
CyrusOne's dedication to sustainability for the West Houston data center campus began in June 2009 with groundbreaking on the 200,000 square foot master planned site greenfield project. Construction was completed in six months, record time for a project of its magnitude. The facility features a redundant 2N architecture and will support power densities of at least 250 watts per square foot across the entire data center footprint. Built to sustain strong hurricanes, the facility is outside the FEMA 500 year flood plain and has a reinforced roof, concrete walls and hurricane shutters.
"The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the most important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence on non-sustainable and expensive sources of energy and threats to human health," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "The work of innovative building projects such as the CyrusOne West Houston data center campus is a fundamental driving force in the green building movement."
The building designers were Duane Bradshaw Architects and Chuck Prichard Consulting. Kirksey Architects completed the LEED certification documentation. This is Metzger Construction's sixth LEED-certified building.
About U.S. Green Building Council
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.
With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 155,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554B to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.
Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% of water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.
About LEED
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 33,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising over 9.7 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries. In addition, nearly 6,000 homes have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with nearly 25,000 more homes registered.
By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.
About CyrusOne
CyrusOne specializes in enterprise data center colocation, offering the highest power redundancy (2N architecture) and highest power-density infrastructure, supporting 250+ watts per square foot across the entire data center floor. Headquartered in Houston, Texas and with 17 facilities across the United States, CyrusOne is renowned for exemplary customer service. The company's customers include 15 of the Top Global 100 Companies, five of the top 10. CyrusOne is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cincinnati Bell. For more information, visit www.cyrusone.com.
SOURCE: CyrusOne