Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) is the most widely recognized and adopted energy efficiency indicator for data centers globally and is emphasized heavily within the EPI sustainability framework. PUE measures how effectively a data center uses power and is calculated by dividing theTotal Facility Powerby theIT Equipment Power. The purpose of this indicator is to show how much of the energy consumed by the facility actually reaches IT equipment (servers, storage, network gear) versus how much is consumed by support infrastructure such as cooling, UPS losses, lighting, and building systems.

A lower PUE indicates a more efficient data center, with values approaching 1.0 representing ideal efficiency—where nearly all consumed power is being used for IT load. PUE is essential for benchmarking, energy-saving initiatives, identifying efficiency improvement opportunities, and measuring the success of infrastructure optimization projects. The other options listed—nil, w; CPU; and uw—are irrelevant to facility energy efficiency metrics. CPU relates to computing processors, not facility efficiency; the others are incorrect units or meaningless terms in this context.

Thus,PUEis the correct and industry-standard power efficiency indicator.

Having the correct spare parts strategy is critical for minimizing downtime, especially for mechanical systems such as chillers, CRAC units, pumps, AHUs, and cooling distribution systems. Within the EPI Facilities Management framework, downtime risk and spare parts strategy are tightly linked. When the probability of component failure is high, or uptime requirements are extremely stringent, the recommended approach is to maintainfull spare parts onsite. This ensures rapid replacement of any failed component without waiting for vendor delivery, logistics, or procurement delays.

Afull parts at sitestrategy means that all critical consumable and non-consumable parts—motors, sensors, belts, bearings, filters, control boards, valves, and other essential components—are immediately available. This is the approach used in high-availability data centers targeting Tier III or Tier IV performance levels or facilities operating with strict SLA commitments.

Options A and B increase repair time because missing parts cause extended outages waiting for shipment or vendor arrival. Option D is ineffective because lower-cost parts often fail more frequently, making only high-cost inventory insufficient.

Thus, the safest, lowest-downtime option isfull parts at site.

EPI’s governance and risk management principles clearly state:

When a data center outsources maintenance,operational work can be outsourced, but risk cannot be transferred.

Risk may beshared, mitigated, or reduced through contractual arrangements, butownership remains with the data center service provider.

The data center operator is still responsible for ensuring compliance, operational continuity, and safety—even if another party performs the maintenance tasks.

Therefore:

The service provider must remain involved in risk evaluation, risk treatment, and ongoing monitoring.

Oversight responsibilities cannot be delegated.

OptionsCandDare incorrect because outsourcing the activity doesnotoutsource risk accountability.

OptionBis irrelevant because risk responsibility does not depend on provider expertise.

Thus,Ais correct.

EPI DCFOM-Aligned Reference Concepts (Paraphrased)

Risk ownership remains with the organization even when maintenance is outsourced.

Outsourcing shares risk but does not transfer it.

The data center must maintain involvement in the risk management process.

EPI’s document management methodology follows a6-step structured life cyclefor all controlled documentation used in a data center (e.g., SOPs, MOPs, EOPs, safety documents, policies, maintenance procedures).

The life cycle ensures all documents remain current, controlled, traceable, and properly retired.

Thesix recognized stagesin the EPI-aligned document management life cycle are typically:

Creation– The document is drafted and developed.

Review– Subject matter experts verify technical correctness.

Approval– Authorized managers approve it for release.

Publication / Release– Document is issued for operational use under control.

Maintenance / Updates– Regular updates and version control.

Archival / Destruction– Retired versions are archived or securely destroyed.

Within this structure,“Provisioning” isnota recognized document life-cycle stepin EPI’s DCFOM framework.

Provisioning is a term used in IT or service management (e.g., server or user provisioning) but not in document control life cycles.

Therefore,Option C (Provisioning)is the correct answer.

EPI DCFOM-Aligned Reference Concepts

Document management requires strict version control procedures.

The document life cycle includes creation, review, approval, publication, maintenance, and destruction/archival.

“Provisioning” is not part of the document lifecycle in the EPI framework.

In a co-location environment, the data center operator manages the facility infrastructure—power, cooling, space, security—but does not directly control how customers operate their IT equipment. However, sustainability programs aim to reduce total energy consumption, which includes IT loads. Since the operator cannot mandate hardware usage or impose arbitrary power reductions, the appropriate method ispromoting awareness and issuing recommendationsthat help customers optimize their systems.

These recommendations may include best practices such as consolidating workloads, improving server utilization, removing unused equipment (“zombie servers”), adopting more efficient storage architectures, using virtualization, and refreshing legacy hardware. This aligns with EPI’s sustainability principles, where collaboration and customer education play a key role in reducing energy consumption in shared environments.

Option A is incorrect because, although customers control IT loads, the operatorcaninfluence them through guidance and programs. Option B is unsafe and violates contractual power allocations. Option D imposes limitations not covered by typical co-location contracts and could disrupt customer operations.

Thus,providing optimization recommendationsis the best and most realistic approach.

Among maintenance contract models, theLowest-Riskoption is the:

Comprehensive Contract

A comprehensive maintenance contract includes:

Preventive maintenance

Corrective maintenance

Replacement parts

Labor costs

Priority response times

Faster repair and recovery

Predictable costs

Strong service guarantees

Higher reliability and lower operational risk

Why other options are incorrect:

A – Basic: Limited coverage; higher risk of delays.

B – Time & Material: Highest financial and operational risk.

D – Exclusive: Typically an enhanced premium model but not the primary “lowest risk” category in EPI’s standard contract structure.

Thus,Cis correct.

EPI DCFOM-Aligned Reference Concepts (Paraphrased)

A comprehensive contract provides the lowest operational risk for critical infrastructure.

Offers full-service coverage and fastest response times.

Within EPI’s Environmental Sustainability framework, theRenewable Energy Factor (REF)is the recommended metric for determining and reporting how much of a data center’s consumed power originates from renewable energy sources. REF provides a standardized, transparent, and repeatable method for calculating the renewable component of the total energy supply. This is essential because power grids draw energy from mixed sources, and data centers must demonstrate sustainability performance accurately and consistently, especially when customers demand visibility into carbon-related metrics.

Implementing REF allows the data center to quantify renewable contributions from sources such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, or certified renewable energy certificates. It also enables customers to compare sustainability performance across providers, improving trust and supporting corporate environmental objectives. REF becomes part of the data center’s transparency strategy, demonstrating commitment to responsible energy usage and aligning with global sustainability expectations.

Options A and B are insufficient and unprofessional; energy providers may give general data, but these are not standardized for reporting purposes. Option C is inappropriate because sustainability transparency is increasingly demanded even if not in the SLA. Therefore, implementing REF is the correct and industry-aligned response.