OVERLAND PARK, Kan.,
April 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- QTS
Realty Trust (NYSE: QTS), a leading provider of hybrid colocation
and mega scale data center solutions today published its 2018
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Initiatives Report - a
first for the Company.
Available online here, and in print by request, the report –
prepared by the QTS Sustainability Leadership team in conjunction
with a third party ESG consultant – provides a comprehensive
summary of QTS' approach to sustainable business practices that are
highly important to its stakeholders and business.
"The report is about transparency and accountability. It
measures our progress on key ESG initiatives as a company and
challenges us to continue to do more each year," said Chad Williams, Chief Executive Officer, QTS. "We
are pleased to take a leadership role in the data center industry
as one of the first to set measurable ESG goals and report on them
publicly."
QTS' legacy of corporate sustainability can be traced back to
early initiatives to minimize production waste, leverage renewable
energy, and responsibly manage materials. Over the years these
initiatives evolved and expanded into business practices in a
company culture that has come to be defined by its tagline
Powered by People. The report documents the Company's
vision of enhancing the care and improvement of human
life and minimizing our carbon footprint
through technology, manpower and advanced construction and
procurement initiatives.
Highlights of the report include:
- QTS is ranked by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as
one of the Top 30 Tech & Telecom largest green power
users.
- QTS reports approximately 32% of its power is sourced from
renewable sources, representing approximately 340,748 MWh of
renewable power purchased since 2018.
- QTS' sustainability strategy includes reusing brownfield
properties and transforming them into state-of-the-art data
centers. To date, the Company has reused or recycled over 550
million pounds of industrial materials as part of its development
process and LEED certification for QTS data centers.
- QTS annually reclaims millions of gallons of water using
advanced rainwater collection systems along with additional savings
from water reclamation systems. Over the last two years, QTS has
reclaimed more than 30 million gallons of water and increased its
water-use efficiency by 26%.
- To further reduce carbon footprint and power costs for
customers, QTS has implemented Energy Star Programs in all
facilities that include blanking panels that save more than 4
million kWh annually, time and motion sensors, and other systems
including a patent pending with the US Patent Office for air
cooling design.
Looking forward, the Company has set measurable, relevant and
timely targets that are expected to further reduce carbon
footprint, support the clean energy industry, improve the lives of
QTS' stakeholders, and optimize its business results. Based on
current projections, QTS' environmental goals include:
- Procure 100% of power from renewable energy sources by
2025
- Pursue LEED certification in 90% of QTS facilities by 2025
- Conserve at least 10 million gallons of water per year
- Install electric vehicle charging stations at 30% of QTS
facilities by 2025
- Recycle 600 million pounds of material by 2025
- Join RE 100, BSR, GRESB in 2019
"Early on, I realized that my primary responsibilities were to
be an effective steward of people and capital, and for 15 years I
have held these as my most sacred leadership obligations," Williams
said. "Sustainable organizations must choose wisely how they will
give back to their communities, the environment, their employees
and their shareholders and we look forward to executing toward our
ESG goals and reporting on our progress."
About QTS
QTS Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: QTS) is a leading provider of data
center solutions across a diverse footprint spanning more than 6
million square feet of owned mega scale data center space
throughout North America. Through
its software-defined technology platform, QTS is able to deliver
secure, compliant infrastructure solutions, robust connectivity and
premium customer service to leading hyperscale technology
companies, enterprises, and government entities. Visit QTS at
www.qtsdatacenters.com, call toll-free 877.QTS.DATA or follow on
Twitter @DataCenters_QTS.
QTS Investor Relations Contact:
Stephen Douglas
EVP Finance
ir@qtsdatacenters.com
QTS Contact:
Carter B.
Cromley
(703) 861-7245
carter.cromley@qtsdatacenters.com
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SOURCE QTS Realty Trust, Inc.