Circularity Efforts at CyrusOne
Circularity
Circularity, also referred to as a transition to a Circular Economy, is a model of production and consumption that involves the reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling of existing materials and products as a means of continuing production in a sustainable or environmentally preferable way. At its best, a circular economy reduces material use, redesigns materials, products, and services to be less resource intensive, and recaptures “waste” as a resource to manufacture new materials and products. At CyrusOne, we invest in and employ a variety of methods within our facilities that help the transition to a circular economy, from initial design to construction and operation. When it comes to circularity, we focus on three main areas where we employ sustainable methods: material selection waste management, and waste reduction.
Material Selection
In addition to reducing energy-related carbon emissions, CyrusOne also works to reduce the emissions associated with the methods and materials used to construct our data centers. With this goal in mind, CyrusOne is piloting and investigating sustainable building materials and alternative methods that produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions than traditional methods and materials, as well as reducing other impacts to human health and the environment.
Learn more →Waste Management
To better transition to a circular economy, CyrusOne looks for opportunities to improve waste management and circularity in our operations. In our facilities and throughout the company, many waste recycling techniques are employed including general recycling, battery recycling and assisting our customers with electronic waste recycling.
Learn more →Waste Reduction
In addition to techniques like paper reduction, one technique that we have used to improve the circularity of our construction practices is through “upstreaming” construction so more of it happens at the manufacturer rather than on the construction site. This seemingly simple change in support of our innovative modular construction techniques means that each manufacturer’s waste stays with the manufacturer, where they can better manage it in bulk. We are also investigating newer UPS battery technologies that have longer expected lifespans than traditional lead-acid batteries, decreasing the waste from battery replacements.
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