Coalition for more sustainable data centres
Built environment and sustainable finance organisations come together, while electricity use from data centres surges.
The Greening Artificial Intelligence Data Centre Coalition (GADCC) seeks to set clear and credible sustainability benchmarks for developing data centres as artificial intelligence (AI)-driven demand for computing power increases.
It aims to develop transparent benchmarks that define what 'green' means for data centres to help investors, operators, communities and policymakers avoid greenwashing and direct capital towards facilities that reduce emissions, while protecting water resources, energy systems and local communities.
Founding members will combine their expertise in building certification, performance benchmarking, green finance and sustainability standards.
This includes the UK's Building Research Establishment, the Climate Bonds Initiative, German Sustainable Building Council, Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark, Green Building Council of Australia, Green Building Council South Africa, Indian Green Building Council, US Green Building Council and the World Green Building Council.
The rapid growth of data centres to power AI is reportedly raising concerns about their heavy electricity and water use, effects on local utility costs, noise pollution, and the relatively small number of long-term jobs they create.
Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency report on Key Questions on Energy and AI assesses AI’s growing energy footprint, options for meeting data centre power demand, and impacts on energy affordability, security and wider economy.
Driven by data centre investments, the capital expenditure of five large technology companies increased to over US$400bln in 2025 and is expected to increase by a further 75% in 2026.
Electricity demand from data centres surged by 17% in 2025, with AI-focused centres increasing even faster, outpacing the 3% growth in global electricity demand.
Although power consumption per AI task is rapidly declining with increases in efficiency, more people are using AI and energy-intensive uses like AI agents.
To help address data centres’ electricity demand, the GADCC will initially focus on creating internationally aligned sustainability criteria for environmental and social performance standards, as well as supporting development of credible green finance and investment instruments, such as green bonds and sustainability-linked loans.
It is open to additional partners, including investors, data centre owners and operators, and climate and water advocacy organisations, to help scale credible action across the global data centre market.
