Aligned Data Centers has announced the launch of a material tracing system called the OriginMark system. According to the company, this tracing system has been introduced to enhance and accelerate supply chain decarbonization. This will be achieved through the use of a unique identifier, similar to a QR code, which will tag each data center component. This tag is attached to a data set that will enable the identification and quantification of the embodied carbon of each component.
Discussing how the company plans on utilizing the technology long-term, Lawson-Shanks, chief innovation officer at Aligned, said that as the process “matures,” its vendors will be “ascribing a higher fidelity” of material sourced data for tall finished goods feeding into the supply chain. He explained the overall goal is to tag each vendor’s finished goods/subcomponents with OriginMark so that when arriving at the company’s site, they can then scan and track their lifecycle. He added: “From manufacturing and transport, to installation, commissioning, and operational lifecycle, through end-of-life and recycling.”
Lawson-Shanks went on to explain that in an age where hyperscale companies and cloud providers set “aggressive sustainability and carbon reduction targets,” transparency around the environmental impact of these companies’ global data center footprint is “crucial” to achieving net-zero emissions in the near future.
He continued: “By deploying enhanced material traceability across our data center campuses, Aligned will be able to combine robust carbon footprint quantification data with our energy-efficient platform and renewable energy options.”
