PUE 6th edition PDF

Full title and description

PUE™: A Comprehensive Examination of the Metric — 6th edition (WP#49, v6). A consolidated White Paper produced by The Green Grid that defines, explains, and gives measurement and reporting guidance for Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and related derivatives (partial PUE, scalability analyses, reporting conventions and case studies). This edition (v6 / commonly referred to as the 6th edition) compiles prior Green Grid materials and adds expanded measurement and reporting guidance for dedicated and mixed‑use facilities.

Abstract

This White Paper provides a definitive, practical reference for calculating, measuring, interpreting and reporting Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). It explains PUE definitions and measurement levels, gives worked examples for dedicated and mixed‑use facilities, outlines reporting and registration requirements, discusses partial‑PUE and scalability, and includes case studies and guidance on reuse of waste heat. The document is intended to improve repeatability, transparency and comparability of PUE measurements and to guide operators on best practices for energy efficiency in data centres.

General information

• Status: Published (consolidated White Paper, legacy Green Grid resource)
• Publication date: Original WP#49 entry: 2 October 2012; White Paper v6 (6th edition) published / posted 3 March 2014 (file WP49 v6).
• Publisher: The Green Grid Association (collaborative industry authors; later published in association with ASHRAE in book form).
• ICS / categories: 35.020 (Information technology – IT in general); related subject matter: energy efficiency / data centre energy metrics (27.015 / 27.020 context in later ISO standards).
• Edition / version: 6 (v6) — commonly referred to as the 6th edition / v6 of WP#49.
• Number of pages: 83 pages (PDF, WP49 v6).

Scope

This document defines the PUE metric and its derivatives, specifies recommended measurement points and methods, establishes categories and nomenclature for reporting, and gives practical examples, calculations and statistical/scalability analyses. It covers dedicated data centre facilities, mixed‑use buildings and specialized facilities; it also addresses measurement instrumentation, sampling intervals, treatment of on‑site generation and unmetered loads, and guidance for public reporting and registration of PUE results.

Key topics and requirements

• Formal definition of PUE and relationship to DCiE and partial‑PUE.
• Measurement levels and recommended meter locations (utility, UPS, PDU, rack/PDU outputs) and data capture intervals.
• Rules for mixed‑use facilities and how to apportion IT vs facility power.
• Reporting nomenclature, required supporting data for published PUEs and registration guidance.
• Examples and worked calculations for typical scenarios (dedicated vs mixed‑use).
• Scalability analysis, statistical techniques and interpretation of PUE trends.
• Limitations of PUE and guidance on complementary metrics (productivity, availability, carbon factors, WUE, CUE).
• Guidance on instrumentation accuracy, data quality, and how to treat on‑site generation and unaccounted energy.

Typical use and users

Primary users are data centre operators and facility managers who measure and track infrastructure energy performance. Secondary users include design engineers, sustainability and energy managers, auditors, energy consultants, cloud/hyperscale operators, equipment vendors, policy makers and standards bodies. The White Paper is used for operational benchmarking, validating design decisions, preparing public energy efficiency statements and training staff on consistent PUE measurement and reporting.

Related standards

Key related documents and standards include the ISO/IEC 30134 series (Data centres — Key performance indicators) that formalise PUE measurement and reporting, national adoptions (BS/EN variants), EN 50600 guidance for data centre facilities, ISO/IEC 22237 series (data centre facilities), ASHRAE TC 9.9 guidance, and other Green Grid metrics (WUE, CUE, ERE, partial‑PUE). The White Paper predates and complements the ISO/IEC standardisation work that later codified PUE measurement categories and reporting rules.

Keywords

PUE, Power Usage Effectiveness, DCiE, partial‑PUE, data centre, energy efficiency, reporting, measurement, metrics, The Green Grid, ASHRAE, ISO/IEC 30134.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: It is a consolidated White Paper (WP#49, v6) from The Green Grid titled "PUE™: A Comprehensive Examination of the Metric" — commonly called the PUE 6th edition (version 6). It documents how to define, measure, interpret and report Power Usage Effectiveness for data centres.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the PUE definition, recommended measurement points and levels, sampling and instrumentation guidance, treatment of mixed‑use buildings, partial‑PUE, scalability and statistical analysis, worked examples, reporting requirements and transparent nomenclature for public claims.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Data centre operators, facilities and energy managers, consultants, sustainability teams, equipment vendors, auditors and standards developers use it for consistent measurement, benchmarking and reporting of data centre infrastructure energy efficiency.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The White Paper v6 is a widely cited, authoritative Green Grid reference (published as WP#49, v6). Since its publication the PUE metric has also been formalised in the ISO/IEC 30134 series (first published 2016 and later revised), so operators should use the White Paper as practical guidance and consult the current ISO/IEC standard for formal, normative measurement and reporting requirements. For clarity, WP#49 original entry is dated 2 October 2012 and the v6 file was posted 3 March 2014; the ISO/IEC PUE standard (30134‑2) was first published 2016 and updated in later revisions.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes. PUE guidance is part of a broader family of data centre metrics and guidance produced by The Green Grid (WP series) and is aligned with international work captured in the ISO/IEC 30134 KPI series and other data‑centre standards and codes of practice (e.g., EN 50600, ISO/IEC 22237, ASHRAE TC 9.9 publications).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: PUE, Power Usage Effectiveness, DCiE, partial PUE, data centre metrics, energy efficiency, reporting, The Green Grid, ISO/IEC 30134.