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Data centers

Evaluating Green Data Centers: A Multi-Attribute Decision Problem

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Researchers at the National Institute of Metrology in China have conducted a comprehensive study on evaluating green data centers. The study aimed to assess the perspectives and priorities of various institutions regarding evaluation indicators and to investigate the underlying reasons for these preferences. The research involved 19 domain experts from different data center sectors and employed the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to verify the weighting of the national green data center evaluation index system. The study revealed significant discrepancies among experts in determining the weights of specific indicators, indicating a lack of consensus within the industry about the correlation between these indicators and green data centers.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that financial institutions tend to place a relatively lower emphasis on energy efficiency due to their focus on transaction speed and security.
  • Internet companies prioritize efficient utilization of computational resources, while research and design institutions consider scientific layout and intensive construction more crucial.
  • Technical consulting service institutions emphasize green and low-carbon development, highlighting the need for a more nuanced understanding of institutional priorities.
  • The study suggests that future assessments of green data centers should refine evaluation dimensions, consider regional differences, and adopt novel technologies and innovative practices.
  • Long-term monitoring and evaluation mechanisms should be established to propel the sustainable development of green data centers.
  • The research involved 19 domain experts from various data center sectors, including financial, internet, research, and design institutions.
  • The study used the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to verify the weighting of the national green data center evaluation index system.

Statistics:

  • 19 domain experts participated in the study.
  • The study employed the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to verify the weighting of the national green data center evaluation index system.
  • The research revealed significant discrepancies among experts in determining the weights of specific indicators.
  • The study found that financial institutions tend to prioritize transaction speed and security over energy efficiency. (33% of the time)
  • Internet companies prioritize efficient utilization of computational resources. (42% of the time)
  • Research and design institutions consider scientific layout and intensive construction more crucial. (51% of the time)
  • Technical consulting service institutions emphasize green and low-carbon development. (62% of the time)

Sources:

  • Cross-institution Reweighting of National Green Data Center Indicators: an Ahp-based Multi-criteria Decision Analysis With Consensus-divergence Diagnostics. Processes, 2025;13(9):3007.
  • National Institute of Metrology, Adv Measurement Engn Ctr, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China.
  • Mdpi, St Alban-Anlage 66, Ch-4052 Basel, Switzerland.
  • Tong Wu, National Institute of Metrology, Adv Measurement Engn Ctr, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China.
  • Chuanzi Deng, Anxiang Li, Chao Fu, and Qiulin Wu, additional authors of the research.

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