Inside Techno Digital’s IGBC Gold Certified Chennai Data Center
Every data center tells a story. Not through the servers it houses or the workloads it powers, but through the countless engineering decisions that shape it. How efficiently it uses power. How responsibly it consumes water. The materials chosen during construction. The systems designed to keep it running reliably for years while minimizing its environmental impact.
These decisions are rarely visible, but they define the quality and sustainability of the infrastructure beneath every digital service.
At Techno Digital, sustainability has never been treated as an additional feature or a compliance exercise. It has been an integral part of how we design, build, and operate our data centers from the very beginning.
Today, we are proud to share that this commitment has been independently recognized.
The Techno Digital Chennai Data Center has achieved IGBC Gold Certification under the IGBC Green Data Center Rating System (2026–2029) by the Indian Green Building Council.
More than a certification, it is an independent validation of the engineering principles that have shaped our Chennai campus from day one.
Why Green Data Centers Matter
India’s digital economy is growing at an unprecedented pace. Every enterprise application, financial transaction, healthcare record, government service, and digital experience ultimately depends on data centers.
As demand for digital infrastructure continues to rise, so does the responsibility to build it sustainably.
Data centers require significant amounts of electricity, cooling, and water to operate reliably. The question for the industry is no longer whether more data centers will be built. The more important question is how responsibly they will be designed, constructed, and operated.
The IGBC Green Data Center Rating System was developed to encourage precisely this approach, evaluating facilities across critical parameters such as energy efficiency, water conservation, sustainable construction, operational practices, and environmental responsibility.
Achieving IGBC Gold Certification demonstrates that our Chennai facility has successfully met these rigorous standards through measurable engineering outcomes rather than aspirations alone.
Energy Efficiency: Doing More with Every Watt
Energy is where a data center’s environmental impact is largely decided, which is why we started here.
Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.35
PUE tells you how much of a facility’s total power reaches the IT equipment, and how much is lost to cooling, lighting, and other overheads. Our Chennai facility achieved a weighted average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.35, significantly better than the IGBC benchmark of 1.8. This reflects careful optimization of cooling architecture, power distribution, and mechanical systems to ensure more energy reaches the IT equipment while reducing unnecessary overhead.
Renewable-powered operations
The Chennai Data Center currently sources more than 80% of its energy from renewable wind powerthrough the Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited, with a long-term roadmap toward fully renewable operations.
Integrated Building Management System
Supporting these systems is an integrated Siemens Building Management System (BMS) that continuously monitors HVAC, electrical infrastructure, lighting, and safety systems in real time, enabling proactive optimization and operational visibility.
Cleaner Systems
Sustainability extends to every engineering choice. Eco-friendly refrigerants are used across cooling systems, while IT spaces are protected using IG-541, a clean fire suppression agent that safeguards critical infrastructure without compromising environmental responsibility.
Water Stewardship: Conserving Every Drop
Rainwater harvesting built into the site
The Chennai Data Center incorporates rainwater harvesting through dedicated recharge pits and two underground storage tanks of 375 KL each, allowing rainwater to be captured and reused instead of being lost as runoff. Together, this system can hold more than three days of rainwater, turning the monsoon into a resource rather than runoff.
A 75% saving through alternate water use
Instead of drawing fresh water for every need, we treat and reuse water on site. Treated water from our sewage treatment plant serves flushing and landscaping needs, while recycled water supports cooling make-up. Taken together, these measures deliver a 75% saving in alternate water performance compared to the baseline.
Efficient fixtures
Water-efficient plumbing fixtures further reduce daily consumption by 7%, while strategically located water meters continuously monitor usage across the facility.
Metering at every critical point
Water meters are installed at the municipal inlet, at the water treatment plant, at the sewage treatment plant, and at the cooling water make-up point. These meters are being integrated with our Building Management System so that consumption is tracked in real time. We believe what gets measured gets managed, and our water systems are built on that principle.
Responsible Construction: Green From the Ground Up
Sustainability at Chennai began long before the first server was installed. It began with what we built the facility from.
100% GreenPro certified core materials
Our Chennai campus has been built using 100% GreenPro-certified core construction materials, including certified structural steel and ready-mix concrete, ensuring sustainability is embedded into the building itself.
Cooling the site, not just the servers
Our terrace uses a high-reflectivity cool roof coating with a Solar Reflectance Index of 108, covering nearly 97% of the roof area. On the ground, grass pavers and grey paver blocks cover more than 81% of exposed paved areas. Together, these choices reduce the urban heat island effect, keeping the site and its surroundings cooler and easing the load on our cooling systems.
Green cover
More than 25% green landscape coverage help reduce the urban heat island effect while creating a more environmentally balanced campus.
Waste segregated at source
Comprehensive waste segregation systems, including dedicated handling of e-waste and hazardous waste through authorized partners, further reinforce our commitment to responsible environmental management.
Responsible Operations: Sustaining the Standard Every Day
A sustainable data center isn’t defined only by how it is designed or constructed. Its long-term environmental performance depends on how consistently it is operated, maintained, and improved over time.
A system, not a scramble
The Chennai Data Center operates through a comprehensive Management Information System supported by standard operating procedures for every major asset, defined escalation protocols, and structured policies for risk mitigation and change management. Preventive maintenance follows a planned annual schedule, while integrated systems testing, conducted by CBRE, helps validate that critical infrastructure continues to perform as designed throughout its lifecycle.
Extending the life of what we own
Critical infrastructure (including UPS systems, batteries, transformers, and chillers) is maintained under long-term service agreements to maximize operational life and reliability. Extending equipment lifespan reduces unnecessary replacements, conserves resources, and reinforces our commitment to responsible lifecycle management.
People Power Sustainable Operations
Sustainable infrastructure depends as much on people as it does on technology. Our structured Green Education Programme equips operational and technical teams with the knowledge and practices needed to improve sustainability, security, and energy efficiency. Through continuous training, assessments, and feedback, sustainability becomes part of everyday decision-making rather than an annual initiative.
Healthier spaces for the people inside
The facility maintains a smoke-free environment supported by formal HR policies, ASHRAE 62.1-2022 compliant fresh air ventilation, multi-stage MERV-rated air filtration, and low-VOC interior finishes. Because building sustainable infrastructure also means creating healthier spaces for the people behind it.
A Commitment That Goes Beyond Certification
The infrastructure powering India’s digital future will continue to grow. The responsibility to build it sustainably must grow with it.
The IGBC Gold Certification is an important milestone, but it is only one step in a much longer journey.
As we expand our digital infrastructure footprint across India, the principles that shaped Chennai will continue to define every facility we build.
Because the true measure of digital infrastructure is not only the capacity it delivers but the responsibility with which it is built.