Internap said its recently expanded data center in Atlanta has received Green Globes certification, following a detailed review process by the Green Building Initiative (GBI).

The achievement marks the first Green Globes certification of a public data center in the state of Georgia and city of Atlanta.

A green building guidance and assessment program, Green Globes helps commercial building owners advance environmental performance and sustainability through a rigorous online assessment and comprehensive site visit and evaluation by an independent, third-party evaluator.

The data center is built on one of the most stable power grids in the country and offers high-performance colocation and hosting services – backed by the company’s route-optimized IP connectivity and a global content delivery network – to the nation’s fourth largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies.

In 2012, Internap completed phase one of a planned expansion, which will ultimately add 31,000 net-sellable sq ft to its data center at 250 Williams Street, bringing the total footprint to 42,000 net-sellable sq ft of premium, high-density capacity to address the growing demand for data center services in the Atlanta market.

“The Internap Atlanta expansion is a great example of the success possible in the sustainable design and construction of a uniquely specialized technology operation within an existing building,” Dan Colella, American Institute of Architects Green Globes assessor said.

“This level of sustainability within Green Globes is an outstanding accomplishment, and Internap should be proud of the manner in which it approached the design and construction of this facility for efficient use of energy and resources and a healthful environment for employees.”

To achieve Green Globes certification, Internap adhered to numerous standards in the expanded Atlanta facility that include:

• Site considerations – The design accommodates the building’s functions while minimizing disturbances to the site’s topography, soils and vegetation.
• Energy efficiency – The building’s energy efficiency is increased through the use of all high energy-efficient equipment, including energy-efficient lighting fixtures, HVAC equipment, chillers, hot water service systems and building automation systems. The energy-efficient design received a 100% Energy Star rating. Additionally, public transportation, electrical vehicle recharging stations and bicycle racks are located within close proximity to the site.
• Resources and building materials – 100% of the building façade was reused and recycled, and locally manufactured materials were used in the structural design.
• And, in order to facilitate recycling, 125 square feet of space was set aside for this purpose.
• Improved indoor air quality – Internap used low-emitting materials throughout the construction of the facility, as well as CO2 indoor air quality monitoring.

“The achievement of Green Globes certification at our Atlanta data center was particularly challenging given that the 250 Williams Street building is a mixed-use facility featuring office space, data centers and retail outlets, thereby necessitating a rather creative design that would not have been required in a single-use and single-tenant building” Randy Ortiz, VP of data center design and engineering at Internap said.

He said it is Internap’s fourth successful Green Globes project over the past two years.