Data centre · Monitoring and control
Monitoring and control in data centre: what the SRI measures
Monitoring and control is the building's nervous system: the building management system that coordinates installations, detects faults, reports energy use and can respond to occupancy and to grid signals.
In short
- 1Data centers rely almost exclusively on electricity and cooling, so heating services from the Smart Readiness Indicator are not relevant.
- 2The monitoring and control domain carries maximum weight for this building type, at three out of three points.
- 3Services such as fault detection, demand response, and central reporting largely determine a data center's score.
Weight of this domain for this building type
Which services count
| Service | Lowest level | Highest level | Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Run time management of HVAC systems MC-3 · 4 levels | Manual setting | Heating and cooling plant on/off control based on predictive control or grid signals | – |
| Detecting faults of technical building systems and providing support to the diagnosis of these faults MC-4 · 4 levels | No central indication of detected faults and alarms | With central indication of detected faults and alarms for all relevant TBS, including diagnosing functions | – |
| Occupancy detection: connected services MC-9 · 3 levels | None | Centralised occupant detection which feeds in to several TBS such as lighting and heating | – |
| Central reporting of TBS performance and energy use MC-13 · A · 4 levels | None | Central or remote reporting of realtime energy use per energy carrier, combining TBS of all main domains in one interface | highest level |
| Smart Grid Integration MC-25 · A · 3 levels | None - No harmonization between grid and TBS; building is operated independently from the grid load | Coordinated demand side management of multiple TBS | highest level |
| Reporting information regarding demand side management performance and operation MC-28 · 3 levels | None | Reporting information on current, historical and predicted DSM status, including managed energy flows | – |
| Override of DSM control MC-29 · 5 levels | No DSM control | Scheduled override of DSM control and reactivation with optimised control | – |
| Single platform that allows automated control & coordination between TBS + optimization of energy flow based on occupancy, weather and grid signals MC-30 · A · 4 levels | None | Single platform that allows automated control & coordination between TBS + optimization of energy flow based on occupancy, weather and grid signals | highest level |
Worked example
If everything in this domain is at level 0, the domain contributes nothing. At the highest level for all services, the indicative total score for this building type rises by about 39 percentage points (from 17 to 56 percent, with all other domains at level 1).
Why does monitoring and control weigh so heavily for a data center?
A data center consists almost entirely of cooling and electricity supply. Heating, hot water, and building envelope, three domains that matter for offices and homes, play barely any role here.
As a result, the monitoring and control domain (MC), the building management system that coordinates installations and responds to faults and grid signals, receives maximum weight: three out of three.
Anyone assessing the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) of a data center therefore looks primarily at this single domain.
Which services determine the score?
Operating hours management of HVAC systems (MC-3) counts because cooling in a data center runs continuously. A higher functionality level means control based on building load or grid signals, rather than a fixed schedule.
Fault detection (MC-4) is essential for installation reliability. The highest level adds diagnostic functions alongside alarm display.
Central reporting of energy consumption (MC-13) and integration with the smart grid (MC-25) are relevant because data centers are large, predictable electricity consumers. Demand response can be implemented here via batteries and backup power supplies, which aligns with this building type's characteristics.
- MC-28: reporting on demand response status
- MC-29: ability to override demand response
- MC-30: single platform for coordination between technical systems
What does a high monitoring level already mean for the score?
Many data centers already have advanced building management systems, because continuity and reliability require it. This works in favor of the SRI score, because monitoring carries the most weight here.
A lower level in demand response (MC-25, MC-29, MC-30) often remains the main opportunity for improvement, even in data centers with strong monitoring.
When does this become relevant for a data center above 290 kW?
Data centers often exceed the 290 kW threshold in HVAC capacity, the installed capacity of heating and cooling systems. Above this threshold, building automation, regulated in Article 13 of the EPBD, has been mandatory since the end of 2024.
The SRI itself remains voluntary, but the European Commission must adopt a delegated act by 30 June 2027 requiring the SRI for utility buildings above this threshold. For data centers, this is expected to be relevant.
What this means for you
- Owner
- As the owner of a data center, it pays to evaluate your existing building management system against the seven impact criteria of monitoring and control, since this domain carries the full weight here. Demand response via batteries or backup power can further raise the score and aligns with an expected obligation above 290 kW of HVAC capacity.
- Tenant
- A tenant of data center space notices a higher monitoring level mainly through fewer faults and better reporting on energy consumption. Direct comfort effects, as in offices, play barely any role in a data center.
- Advisor
- When assessing a data center, focus especially on services within monitoring and control, since other domains such as heating and building envelope carry little weight. Check specifically the level of demand response and grid integration, as there is often room for improvement even in buildings with strong building management systems.
Next step
Want to know where your building stands?