22 April 2026
Nine of the world’s leading built environment and sustainable finance organisations today launched the Greening AI Data Centres Coalition (GADCC) — a new global initiative to set clear, credible standards for sustainable data centre development as AI-driven demand for computing power accelerates worldwide.
The GADCC will develop transparent benchmarks that define what “green” genuinely means for data centres, helping investors, operators, communities and policymakers cut through greenwashing and direct capital toward facilities that reduce emissions while protecting water resources, energy systems and local communities.
Founding members are the Building Research Establishment (BRE), the Climate Bonds Initiative, the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB), the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA), the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) — combining expertise in building certification, performance benchmarking, green finance and sustainability standards.
Cities around the globe are increasingly challenged by the rapid growth of data centres powering artificial intelligence applications due to concerns about their heavy electricity and water use, their effects on local utility costs, noise pollution, and the relatively small number of long-term jobs they create.
[1] Data centres currently consume roughly 1.5–2% of global electricity, and the International Energy Agency projects demand will more than double by 2030 [2,3]. Their water footprint is growing just as fast, so much so that it intensifies the pressure on local water supplies with facilities in some regions consuming as much water as a small city. Unchecked expansion risks straining local grids, driving up consumer energy costs and crowding out renewable-energy access for other users.
The rapid growth of AI data centres has made the challenge of greening digital infrastructure increasingly urgent. If new data centres are powered by fossil fuels or draw heavily on scarce water resources, they could slow global decarbonisation efforts and undermine the long‑term viability of AI itself. With investor interest in green data centres rising, there is a growing need for clear, consistent definitions of what “green” AI infrastructure truly means — backed by transparent data and credible benchmarks that protect communities, energy security and the environment.
The coalition’s initial programme of work will focus on two priorities:
James Fisher, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Building Research Establishment (BRE):
“BRE is pleased to be part of the Greening AI Data Centres Coalition, bringing together organisations with shared expertise across the built environment. As AI infrastructure continues to expand, collaborative approaches grounded in recognised standards such as BREEAM will be essential to support more sustainable outcomes for buildings, infrastructure and the communities they serve.”
Sean Kidney, CEO, Climate Bonds Initiative:
“Trillions are going into building AI data centres, but without clear standards, it risks becoming a climate disaster. The solutions are simple: use clean energy, recycle water and re-use heat. this coalition is about setting the rules to get that right.”
Dr. Christine Lemaitre, CEO, German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB):
“Data centers are becoming an increasingly significant subject in Europe too, requiring comprehensive and sustainable planning and implementation in order to minimise any negative implications for climate protection. In this context, the link to the municipal context plays a particularly important role. Developing common standards in a timely manner that work on a global scale is a key task, making our coalition particularly significant.”
Dr. Chris Pyke, Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB):
“Data centers are the fastest-growing, most impactful category of real asset. GRESB shares the Greening AI Data Centers Coalition goal of providing investors with the information they need to constructively engage with developers and operators to protect financial value and improve social and environmental outcomes. Investors – equipped with timely and relevant information – can play a key role in making essential data center development safe and sustainable.”
Davina Rooney, Chief Executive Officer, Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA):
“Artificial intelligence is driving rapid growth in data centres around the world, including here in Australia. As this infrastructure expands, we need clear expectations for sustainability that protect energy systems, water resources, and communities. This coalition will bring global expertise together while recognising that local conditions, from climate to grid dynamics, must shape how sustainable data centres are delivered.”
Mr K S Venkatagiri, Executive Director, Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII):
“Greening AI data centres is no longer a choice; it is an imperative for a sustainable digital future. For over two decades, IGBC (Indian Green Building Council) has championed green data centres, proving that energy efficiency, resilience, and scale can go hand in hand. India has total 1.4 GW of total Designed IT Load out of which more than 850 MW of IT load is Green Certified. As AI accelerates demand, sustainability must accelerate innovation. The future of AI must be powerful, responsible, and truly green.”
Peter Templeton, president and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC):
“We are proud to be a founding member of this coalition to accelerate sustainable design and operations in data centers worldwide. As a strategic asset class, data centers are central to technological innovation and economic growth. Through this coalition, we are committing our collective expertise to balancing this growth with responsible development that protects energy affordability, local resources, and quality of life.”
Cristina Gamboa, CEO, World Green Building Council (WorldGBC):
“Data centres are rapidly becoming part of the physical fabric of our built environments, with significant impacts on energy systems, water resources and local communities. As a founding member of the Greening AI Data Centres Coalition, the World Green Building Council is proud to help bring together global expertise from across the building and construction sector to define what truly sustainable data centres look like. By setting clear, credible standards, this Coalition will help ensure the growth of AI infrastructure supports climate goals, community resilience and long‑term sustainability.”
Georgina Smit, CEO Designate, Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA):
“GBCSA is proud to join this collective effort to develop an internationally aligned framework for greening data centres. As Africa’s primary digital infrastructure hub, South Africa hosts over half of the African continent’s installed capacity. A standardised definition for “green data centre” is essential to ensure that expansion aligns with national climate commitments, infrastructure capacity, and long-term economic resilience. This is necessary for the market to adopt a ‘build-right’ rather than a ‘build-fast’ approach, resulting in a more resilient, investable, and future-fit digital infrastructure ecosystem.”
The GADCC is open to additional partners, including investors, data centre owners and operators, and climate and water advocacy organisations, to help scale credible action across the global data centre market. These organizations are very welcome to apply to join.
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Contact for Interviews and further information:
Mariana Caminha
Global Head of Communications, Climate Bonds Initiative
T: +55 61 981351800
E: mariana.caminha@climatebonds.net
The scale of the challenge
The rise of generative AI is straining global energy and water systems:
Water is equally at risk:
The investment case
Green bonds have already been successfully issued for data centres by companies such as Switch and Vantage Data Centres. As investment accelerates and pressures on grids and water systems intensify, investors, communities and policymakers need consistent definitions of what “green” AI infrastructure actually means — backed by transparent data and benchmarks.
About BRE (Building Research Establishment): BRE is a world-leading, multi-disciplinary, building science centre with a mission to improve buildings and infrastructure, through cutting-edge research and knowledge generation. BRE maintains a range of products, services, standards and qualifications that are used around the world to bring about positive change in the built environment. This includes BREEAM, the world’s leading sustainability assessment methodology for master planning projects, infrastructure and buildings. Learn more at www.bregroup.com.
About the Climate Bonds Initiative: Climate Bonds is the leading international non-governmental organisation mobilising global capital for climate action. We drive the growth of the green and sustainable debt market through science-aligned frameworks including our taxonomies and standards, our Certification, our data and insights, and our provision of expert policy and technical advice. More information on our website here.
About the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB): With over 2800 member organisations the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) is Europe’s biggest network for sustainable building. The aim of the non-profit organisation is to promote sustainability in the construction and real estate industry and instil awareness of sustainability among the broader population. DGNB’s certification system offers a planning and optimisation tool for evaluating sustainable buildings and districts. It is based on the concept of holistic sustainability, placing equal emphasis on the environment, people and commercial viability. The DGNB Academy is an education and training platform that has already provided more than 11,000 people from more than 60 countries with official qualifications in sustainable building.
About GRESB: GRESB is the leading benchmark and your strategic partner for sustainable investments across real assets and climate-critical industries. Together, we help you build more resilient, efficient, and financially attractive portfolios for long-term success. Learn more at gresb.com.
About the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA): Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is the nation’s authority on sustainable buildings and communities. Our mission is to accelerate the transformation of Australia’s built environment into one that is healthy, liveable, productive, resilient and sustainable. We work with industry and government to encourage policies and programs that support our mission. We educate thousands of people each year on how to design and deliver sustainable outcomes for Australia’s buildings and communities. And we operate Australia’s only national, voluntary, holistic rating system for sustainable buildings and communities – Green Star. www.gbca.org.au
About the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC): Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) is a founding member of the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC). The vision of IGBC is to facilitate India’s emergence as a global leader in green buildings and the green built environment. Over the past two decades, CII‑IGBC’s multi‑pronged approach has driven a paradigm shift in how buildings are conceived, designed, and operated across diverse built environments.
IGBC has launched 32 Green and Net Zero Rating Systems covering multiple building typologies, enabling 19,155+ projects with a green footprint exceeding 15.79 billion sq. ft., of which 7,900 projects are certified and fully operational. IGBC also leads the Asia Pacific Network within WorldGBC, shaping regional collaboration on green building advancement.
About the Green Building Council South Africa: The Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) is South Africa’s leading authority on sustainability in the built environment. We advocate for all buildings and precincts to be designed, built, and operated in an environmentally sustainable manner, driving transformation through advocacy, green building certification and sustainability training for all stakeholders. We have certified over 1 500+ projects in South Africa, including projects across Africa. We collaborate in industry research that empowers decision makers to go green: MSCI South Africa Green Annual Property Index and Green Building in South Africa: A Guide to Costs & Trends. GBCSA’s official publication +Impact Magazine showcases pioneering green building projects, gives insight into key sustainability topics, and celebrates green achievements and thinking.
About the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) accelerates and scales the transformation of the built environment to minimize climate impacts and enhance the well-being of people, the environment, and communities worldwide. USGBC leads market transformation through LEED and other green building certification and enablement programs, robust educational offerings, an international network of industry leaders, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools, and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
About the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC): The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) is the largest local-regional-global action network leading the transformation to sustainable and decarbonised built environments. Together, with over 85 Green Building Councils and industry partners from all around the world, we are driving systemic changes to achieve:
We work with businesses, organisations and governments to deliver on the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs). Find out more www.worldgbc.org