On 21 September 2026, the European Commission adopted a delegated regulation that would give every EU data center with 500 kW or more of installed IT power demand a public sustainability rating.
It is now with the European Parliament and Council for scrutiny, and we expect it to become law in November or December 2026.
Many operators have been reporting this data for several years. What’s new is that the results will be presented as a standardized label that is easy to compare. The first label grades 2026 performance.
What’s changing
Since 2024, EU data centers over 500 kW have reported energy and water KPIs each year under the Energy Efficiency Directive, and aggregated data is already public, but site-level results are not. The rating scheme uses the same data to produce a label for each site, graded A-G for PUE and WUE. Anyone can view it through a QR code linked to the European database.
The scheme covers data centers located in the EU. UK sites are not in scope, but UK-headquartered operators with EU sites are.
Greater transparency for communities
The label gives local communities, customers and investors a consistent view of how a data center performs on energy, water and renewable energy use. We see this as a positive step. Clear, comparable information supports better conversations about the role data centers play in the communities around them.
What’s on the label
- PUE class (A-G) – power usage effectiveness
- WUE class (A-G) – water usage effectiveness
- Energy mix – on-site renewables, renewable and nuclear energy from guarantees of origin (GOs) and power purchase agreements (PPAs), and other sources
- Contribution to new capacity – how much of your PPA and GO energy supports new renewable or nuclear generation, built or refurbished in the last 10 years
- Heat reuse readiness – whether the site is designed or retrofitted to supply waste heat to external users, whether or not a heat network exists yet
- Grid flexibility – whether the site provides flexibility services to the grid
- Context – size category, data center type, operator, location and cooling degree days
PUE and WUE are shown side by side. Cooling strategies that reduce energy use can increase water use, and the reverse, so operators will need to weigh both when making design and operational decisions. The label will come with a document explaining these trade-offs, and the scheme will be reviewed every three years.
Certification of reported data
The scheme recognizes certification of reported data, where a qualified or accredited third party validates a data center’s monitoring, data validation and reporting procedures. This can include schemes from European and international standards organizations such as CEN/CENELEC and ISO, as well as widely used voluntary schemes that include third-party certification.
The regulation states that a distinction will be made between self-certification and third-party certification. For customers and investors comparing sites, that distinction is likely to matter.
How we support
We help operators put robust monitoring and reporting procedures in place, ready for third-party certification.
The timeline
- May 2027 – operators submit 2026 KPI data
- 15 August 2027 – first labels issued, valid for 12 months
- May 2028 – operators submit 2027 KPI data
- August 2028 – second labels issued, then annually after that
The first label grades KPIs for 2026, and sites can still take action to improve performance in November and December. The second label grades 2027. With the regulation expected to become law around the turn of the year, operators who plan now will be in a stronger position than those who wait until it comes into effect.
Partial-year reporting is mandatory
Once a data center with 500 kW or more of installed IT power demand begins operating, it must start reporting, even if it has only operated for part of the year. A site that opened in October 2026 will report October-December data in May 2027, and that data will form its first label.
New sites usually run at low IT load in their first months, which can push PUE up. Design PUE (dPUE) isn’t included on the label, so designing for efficiency at partial load, and not just at full capacity, makes a real difference to that first rating.
In colocation, it can also be difficult to know exactly when a site passes 500 kW of installed IT power, unless customer contracts provide that visibility. Sites still under construction can choose to take part voluntarily, using the KPIs they expect to achieve after two years of operation.
Legal status
The regulation has been adopted by the Commission but is not yet law. During the scrutiny period, the European Parliament and Council can approve or object to it, but cannot amend it. If there is no objection, it will be published in the Official Journal and come into effect 20 days later.
Separately, the EU is consulting on minimum performance standards for new and retrofitted data centers, covering energy efficiency, water use, waste heat reuse and grid services. Feedback is open until 14 December 2026: share your view with the European Commission.
Talk to us
Our energy management and sustainability team works with data center operators across Europe on energy and water performance, from design and build through to operations. If you’d like to understand how your sites are likely to score, or what you can do to improve, speak to our energy management team.