Compass Datacenters Awarded LEED® Gold Certification For Data Center In Raleigh-Durham

DALLAS, Dec. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Compass Datacenters has been awarded the prestigious LEED Gold certification for its previously-announced data center in the Raleigh-Durham area. The certification was awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

The 22,000 square foot data center facility was completed earlier this year using Compass' unique architecture for data center design and engineering, which enables the company to build LEED Gold and Tier III-certified dedicated data centers in any location where a customer needs them. This data center facility is located in Research Triangle Park (RTP) in North Carolina, and it was built using sustainable engineering and construction practices that adhere to the USGBC's standards for materials use, water use, energy efficiency and other sustainability criteria. This facility also utilizes Compass' patent-pending energy efficient architecture to deliver a low Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) that ensures sustainable operations and low operating costs.

"I am a long-time proponent of LEED certification for data centers going back to my involvement years ago with some of the very first data centers that ever earned approval from USGBC, and I am proud that Compass has earned the first of many LEED certifications for the dedicated data center facilities we build for customers. LEED has tremendous value for the data center industry because the principles LEED is based upon are the same principles that are so important to us as data center professionals: stewardship of materials, capital efficiency, proven best practices for operations, resourcefulness, and on and on," said Chris Crosby, CEO of Compass Datacenters. "Claims of efficient or green data centers by service providers are just claims unless they follow the rigorous process of LEED during construction. Our certification and the ability to verify our adherence to that standard at the USGBC website (www.usgbc.org/projects) give our customers the peace of mind that they are getting the data center that they paid for."

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 100,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED rating systems, comprising over 8 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries.  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. USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.

About the 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, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 167,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion 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% 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 Compass Datacenters

Compass Datacenters builds natural disaster-resistant, Tier III-certified, LEED Gold, dedicated data centers where customers need them without forcing them to sacrifice features or performance. The innovative design of its facilities make it possible for Compass Datacenters to deliver state-of-the-art solutions that enhance control and simplify capacity planning for customers anywhere in the United States, serving the vast majority of companies that are not located in the few markets where geographically-constrained data center facilities are currently concentrated. For more information, visit www.compassdatacenters.com.

SOURCE Compass Datacenters