How Kohler Partners with iMasons to Champion Sustainability in Data Centers

Kohler is at the forefront of integrating sustainability into data center operations, particularly through innovative backup power solutions. Acknowledging the critical role of data centers in the digital age and the environmental impact of traditional power sources, Kohler has committed to reducing data center emissions and enhancing their efficiency. One recent example: Kohler just joined the new Movers Program for the iMasons Climate Accord, and is playing an important role in the accord’s working groups. Here’s a quick overview of what that means and why it's important. 

All About iMasons

The Infrastructure Masons, or iMasons, organization is a global, non-profit professional group for those working in the information technology sector, aiming to advance the field through education, collaboration, and leadership. iMasons advances its cause through initiatives like scholarships, educational resources, regional networking groups, and, notably, a sustainability committee called the iMasons Climate Accord (ICA).

Broadly, the ICA is a collaborative effort within the digital infrastructure industry aimed at addressing climate change by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the IT sector. This initiative involves key stakeholders from various organizations, including data center operators, technology providers, and other industry participants, who are committed to working together to develop and implement strategies to minimize the environmental impact of digital infrastructure. This is important because it means that over 250 member companies – including a governing body featuring leaders from the likes of AWS, Google, Meta, and Microsoft  – are currently working to standardize carbon reporting across the industry, and Kohler is playing a large part.

Kohler’s Role

Kohler Data Centers are playing an important part in the ICA mission in a few notable ways. First, Kohler is an official member of the ICA, first joining in 2021. That means Kohler is formally committed to ICA goals, including net zero emissions. To meet these goals, Kohler employs environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards as a guideline for openly sharing their objectives and advancements, while making sure the steps taken are integrated directly into business strategy and operations.

The second way Kohler plays a part is in joining the Climate Accord Movers Program, which involves more significant financial contribution to the ICA’s operations. The Movers Program acts in collaboration with Aligned Data Centers, where participants highlight their sustainability projects and contribute insights to the discourse on carbon reduction in digital infrastructure. These insights aid in evolving the ICA’s Digital Infrastructure Maturity Model (DIMM), a tool for fostering a sustainable future in the industry by pushing  for an industry-wide adoption of an open standard for reporting progress.

The third way Kohler factors into the ICA is through its official working groups. The groups operate worldwide, each with a time-bound mission defined by the ICA’s governing body. Kohler’s participation is through the Equipment Working Group, chaired by Alex Rakow of Schneider Electric. The objective is to reduce carbon emissions from data center equipment by facilitating clear communication about their carbon footprint and create market incentives for choosing equipment that minimizes emissions. To date, Kohler’s own Louis Liu has contributed to different case studies and presentations in the interest of forwarding the working group’s progress.

Looking Forward

By leveraging innovative technologies and design practices, Kohler aims to minimize environmental impact, focusing on energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, and sustainable infrastructure development to ensure resilient and eco-friendly data center solutions. Proof of this effort can be found in Kohler’s meaningful contributions to the iMasons Climate Accord. The ICA’s approach aligns with Kohler’s goals of not just meeting demands for sustainable practices in the market, but contributing to the broader goal of achieving greener data centers for a better digital future.

To learn more about Kohler’s data center sustainability initiatives, click here.