02 Apr 2026
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has announced its first Sustainable Data Centres program in partnership with Data Centres Australia, to explore what best practice sustainability outcomes in the design, construction, and operation of data centres in Australia could look like.
The program aims to lay a path for Australia’s digital infrastructure to set the global standard for ESG leadership, and to demonstrate how this essential infrastructure will responsibly address energy, circularity, water, nature, and community impacts. Working with industry is critical to ensuring this work is grounded in practicality and aligns with data centre operations.
This move comes after GBCA’s last membership survey showed that 80% of members want GBCA to provide leadership in this area.
Alongside the partnership, GBCA and DCA will work with industry experts and stakeholders across industry to define priorities and support better sustainability performance for our digital infrastructure.
GBCA Chief Executive Officer Davina Rooney said the announcement comes at a critical time for the industry, and the future of Australia’s digital infrastructure.
“At its core, the Sustainable Data Centres program is about exploring what best practise looks like for creating and operating data centres. We have the opportunity to shape sustainability expectations for this emerging asset class and develop a pathway to ensure Australia’s digital infrastructure grows with sustainability at its core,” said Ms Rooney.
“Make no mistake, this will be Australia-specific guidance. We live in a country with a unique climate, grid, and water context – and these needs must be considered when charting a path toward what science-backed, best practice looks.”
The program will expand industry capability through education and engagement with broad stakeholders. This will include collaboration with sustainable finance and benchmarking initiatives to support investment in future high-performing assets.
Belinda Dennett, Chief Executive Officer, Data Centres Australia said: "Data centres have operated with sustainability at the core of how they are built and run from the very beginning. Energy and water efficiency are fundamental to the business model. But the scale and complexity of AI infrastructure is changing rapidly, and we want to make sure our standards evolve with it."
"We chose to partner with the GBCA on their data centres project because they bring around 25 years of experience developing sustainability frameworks that actually work in practice. They understand that good outcomes come from genuine collaboration with industry, and from taking the time to get it right," Ms Dennett said.
"This partnership is about setting a credible benchmark for sustainable data centre development that positions Australia as a global leader in building and operating data centres responsibly."
GBCA is seeking value-aligned partners to support the vision to build a positive, resilient and responsible digital built environment.
Find out more about the new partnership here.