First LEED Data Center Saves Millions

By: Jason Vasquez - Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Source: Fannie Mae

Fannie Mae’s technology center has realized a total of $1.7 million in energy savings - - a 35 percent cost reduction - - as the nation’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified data center marks its fifth anniversary. The 247,000 square-foot data center represents the cornerstone of Fannie Mae’s technology operations.

The LEED designation, awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in June 2005, recognized a number of energy-saving innovations. A unique irrigation design that uses waste water from the cooling plant and captured rain water, coupled with landscaping that features drought-tolerant plants, the facility preserves nearly 13,000 gallons of municipal water per day from consumption and waste and has saved more than 23 million gallons over five years. During construction, the facility also used materials that were manufactured in the region and recycled 80 percent of the construction waste.

“When it was decided that Fannie Mae’s data center should be constructed to meet LEED requirements, there was a host of challenges for the architects and engineers because there was no previous model to follow,” said Edward Watson, Executive Vice President of Operations and Technology. “We’re pleased that the energy-saving features that earned the prestigious LEED certification have helped Fannie Mae be more environmentally responsible and cut costs as well.”
Construction of data centers present special energy challenges as processing equipment demands significant real-time electrical power, in addition to power redundancy, which is critical to ensure that equipment can continue functioning under adverse or unanticipated conditions.

“Fannie Mae’s technology center is an excellent case study of how building projects of varying scopes and scales can achieve energy efficiency,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “Fannie Mae’s early adoption of LEED not only demonstrates their environmental stewardship, but can attest to the simple premise that by consuming less, companies inherently save more and will do so throughout the lifecycle of the building.”

The LEED rating system, is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. LEED certification distinguishes building projects that have demonstrated a commitment to sustainability by meeting the highest performance standards.

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