Prime Data Centers Facilities Earn EPA Energy Star for High Efficiency
January 27, 2026
As the data center industry faces intensifying scrutiny over its energy and water consumption, achieving operational efficiency has become a critical benchmark for sustainability and community acceptance. In this context, Prime Data Centers has announced that two of its computing facilities have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star certification, placing them within the top 25% of all U.S. buildings for energy performance.
The certified facilities, a 20-megawatt site in Dallas and a 26-megawatt site in Sacramento, utilize a combination of closed-loop air and liquid cooling systems. This design significantly reduces energy and water usage compared to traditional evaporation-cooled data centers. Both facilities are also committed to powering their operations with 100% renewable energy. According to the company’s 2025 sustainability report, Prime aims to pursue Energy Star certification for all its eligible U.S. data centers, targeting those in design or construction that can achieve a high EPA design score.
“Energy Star recognition demonstrates that our facilities are performing at the highest standards as we continue to expand our footprint,” said Sara Martinez, Vice President of Sustainability at Prime Data Centers.
The certifications come at a time of heightened public and regulatory pressure on the sector. A recent analysis noted that developer pushback led to the abandonment of 25 major U.S. data center projects in 2025, a fourfold increase from the previous year. Concerns over grid strain, water resources, and rising electricity costs for local communities are driving this opposition. In response, some industry giants are taking new steps. Microsoft recently committed to directly paying for necessary grid upgrades to support its new data centers, a move echoed by OpenAI for its planned facilities.
While many operators have set ambitious environmental goals, scaling computing capacity—particularly for energy-intensive AI workloads—presents a significant challenge. Microsoft reported a 23% increase in its total greenhouse gas emissions last year, and Google’s emissions have risen over 50% since 2019. Companies without stringent environmental protocols risk legal and reputational damage, as seen in a lawsuit filed against xAI in Tennessee alleging regulatory violations at a gas-powered data center.
Beyond energy, Prime is implementing broader sustainability measures. The company diverted an average of 83% of waste from its U.S. construction sites in 2024 and is piloting “zero waste to landfill” methods. By 2030, it aims to power its backup generators primarily with hydrotreated vegetable oil, a lower-emission alternative to diesel. These efforts underscore a growing industry imperative to balance rapid expansion with measurable environmental stewardship.
Source: facilitiesdive
