Certified Data Centre Environmental Sustainability Specialist (CDESS®) - eLearning (exam included)

Certified Data Centre Environmental Sustainability Specialist (CDESS®) - eLearning (exam included)

Drive greener, more energy-efficient data centres with the Certified Data Centre Environmental Sustainability Specialist (CDESS®) course. As sustainability becomes a strategic priority, this internationally accredited certification equips data centre professionals with the knowledge and best practices to reduce environmental impact while maintaining high availability and operational performance.

You'll explore international sustainability standards, energy efficiency metrics, power and cooling optimisation, water and waste management, renewable energy, and carbon reduction strategies. Whether you're improving an existing facility or planning a new one, CDESS® provides practical guidance to help you build and operate environmentally sustainable data centres that support long-term business and ESG goals.

Key Features

• Course material available in English 
• Intermediate level for aspiring professionals
• Presentation & E-book included
• 20+ hours recommended study time 
• 1 Year access to the learning platform & exam voucher (included together)
• Program completion certification included

Learning Outcomes

• Assess the environmental impact of data centres.
• Apply international sustainability and energy management standards.
• Measure and improve energy efficiency using recognised performance metrics.
• Optimise electrical, cooling, IT, and storage infrastructure for energy savings.
• Implement effective energy monitoring and reporting practices.
• Improve water usage and waste management within data centre operations.
• Evaluate renewable energy options and carbon reduction initiatives.
• Develop practical strategies for creating more sustainable data centres.

Target Audience

• Data centre managers and operators
• Facilities and critical environment engineers
• IT infrastructure professionals
• Data centre consultants and designers
• Sustainability and ESG professionals supporting IT operations
• Energy and facilities managers
• Anyone responsible for improving data centre efficiency, sustainability, and environmental performance

Prerequisites

• Participants should have 1–2 years of experience working in a data centre or facilities environment.
• Although not mandatory, completion of the Certified Data Centre Professional (CDCP®) course or equivalent knowledge is highly recommended, as CDESS® builds on core data centre infrastructure concepts.

Course Content

Module 1 – Impact of Data Centres on the Environment

• Current situation
• Outlook and commitments

Module 2 – What is Environmental Sustainability

• The importance of sustainability
• Senior management commitment
• Environmental sustainability framework
• Sustainability policies
• Performance standards and metrics
• Information policies
• Transparency
• Awareness
• Service charging models

Module 3 – Environmental Management

• Environmental sustainability framework (ISO 14001)
• Standards and guidelines – ISO 50001 / ISO 30134
• Measurement and categories
• Baselining
• Trend analysis
• Reporting

Module 4 - Data Centre Green House Gases Emissions

• The usage of CO2 equivalent
• The three scopes for GHG emissions
• Definitions for various emission scopes
• How to calculate Carbon emissions from the electrical grid
• How to calculate Carbon emissions from backup generator
• How to calculate Carbon emissions from refrigerant leakage
• How to calculate Carbon Usage Effectiveness (CUE)

Module 5 – Power Effi­ciency Indicators

• Various e­fficiency indicators
• Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE)
• PUE measurement levels
• Factors affecting PUE
• Measurement points and intervals
• PUE in mixed source environments
• Measuring PUE in a mixed-use building
• PUE reporting
• Impact of PUE after optimising IT load

Module 6 – Electrical Energy Savings (Electrical)

• Identifying the starting point for saving energy
• Sizing of power
• DC power
• Generators
• UPS systems
• Power Factor (PF)
• Energy savings on lighting

Module 7 – Electrical Energy Savings (Mechanical)

• Energy savings on the cooling infrastructure
• Temperature and humidity setpoints
• Various energy e­cient cooling technologies
• Energy savings on the airflow
• Liquid cooling
• Energy reusage
• PUE, ERE/ERF and Control Volume

Module 8 – Electrical Energy Savings (ICT)

• Procurement
• IT equipment energy e­fficiency
• ITEEsv, SMPE, SMPO
• IT equipment utilisation
• Server virtualisation
• Open compute project

Module 9 – Electrical Energy Savings (Data Storage)

• Data management
• Data storage management
• Data storage equipment effi­ciency

Module 10 – Water Management

• Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE)
• Improving WUE
• Water usage at the power generation source
• Energy Water Intensity Factor (EWIF)

Module 11 – Waste Management

• Waste management policies
• Life-cycle assessment (Cradle to the grave)
• 3 R’s for waste management
• Reduce
• Reuse
• Second-hand market
• Recycle

Module 12 – Sustainable Energy Usage

• Sustainable energy sources
• Power purchase agreements
• Energy attribute certificates
• Renewable Energy Factor (REF)
• Matching renewable energy supply and demand
• Sustainable energy storage
• Carbon trading

Module 13 – Automated Environmental Management Systems

• Use of AI and machine learning
• Load migration
• Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solutions

Exam & Certification Details

• Duration: 60 minutes
• Questions: 40 multiple-choice questions
• Exam Type: Closed book
• Pass Mark: 27 correct answers (68%)

Certification

Candidates who successfully pass the exam will receive the official Certified Data Centre Environmental Sustainability Specialist (CDESS®) certificate.

The certification is accredited by EXIN, a globally recognised independent certification body, and is valid for three years, after which recertification is required

FAQ

What is CDESS®?

CDESS® (Certified Data Centre Environmental Sustainability Specialist) is an internationally recognised certification that teaches professionals how to improve the environmental sustainability of data centres through energy efficiency, international standards, and operational best practices

Does the course cover industry sustainability standards?

Yes. CDESS® covers internationally recognised standards and frameworks, including ISO 14001, ISO 50001, and ISO 30134, along with widely adopted data centre efficiency metrics and best practices

Is CDESS® internationally recognised?

Yes. CDESS® is accredited by EXIN, an internationally recognised independent certification and examination institute. The certification is recognised globally and demonstrates expertise in sustainable data centre design and operations

Is CDCP® required before taking CDESS®?

CDCP® is not a mandatory prerequisite, but it is strongly recommended. Participants with a solid understanding of data centre infrastructure will gain the greatest benefit from the course.

Is CDFOM® internationally recognised?

Yes. CDFOM® is globally accredited by EXIN, making it a recognised credential for professionals responsible for managing mission-critical data centre facilities and operations worldwide.