The Environmental Protection Agency has updated their Energy Star for Data Centers program by releasing new guidelines for documenting energy efficiency, called Energy Usage Effectiveness, EUE, instead of the better-known Power Usage Effectiveness, PUE.

The difference between the two systems lies in measuring the energy potential of fuel, rather than actual electrical power.  Interestingly, seemingly important factors like climate and tier aren't huge factors in this metric for energy efficiency.

The EPA is rating data centers on a hundred-point scale, and these ratings have the potential to be pretty influential.  According to Data Center Journal, the results will be released in November and there is a plaque involved, so be prepared!

Another interesting concern about systematized units of measure like this is whether or not they will become law, and what regulation like that will mean to the data center industry.

-Elizabeth English

photo by rooymans2000 under flickr creative commons license