Uptime Institute Tier Certification of Operational Sustainability (TCOS)
Assesses how a Tier-certified site is actually run (policies, procedures, behaviours and risks of operations) on a points basis, graded Bronze, Silver or Gold; sites without a Tier certification can use the separate Management and Operations Stamp of Approval.
- 5requirementsin our own words
- 0editions none dated yet
- 0places where it is a duty of 30 assessed
- 18 Oct 2026last checkedat the sources below
Where it applies
It is voluntary in the 30 places assessed. The outcome holds under the conditions shown and says nothing about any one site.
| Where | Outcome | Basis | Conditions | Authority and route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All 30 places | Applies | Voluntary In force | None stated No law in this country requires it; customers, lenders or tenders decide. | Not stated |
What it asks for
5 requirements, each in our own words with the evidence an assessor would expect and who on a site usually owns it. Read the clause itself on the scheme owner's page.
| Requirement | Evidence expected | Owner | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintain operating policies and procedures that cover the behaviours and risks of running a Tier site. | Procedure set and approvals Policy, checked by document review | Site manager | Continuous Governance, one site |
| Staff the site with trained, assigned operators and manage the human element. | Staffing plan, training records Record, checked by document review | HR | Every year Governance, one site |
| Plan and perform maintenance and testing that sustains the Tier design intent. | Maintenance calendar and test records Record, checked by document review | M&E lead | Continuous Inspection, one site |
| Manage power, cooling and space capacity so the Tier capability is not eroded. | Capacity reports Record, checked by document review | M&E lead | Continuous Governance, one site |
| Plan recertification before the award expires. | Renewal plan Certificate, checked by document review | Compliance manager | Each certification cycle Inspection, one site |
Stages, levels and report types
What each one is, how long it is valid, and the claim you may make once you hold it.
| Stage or level | Report or award | Period and validity | What you may say |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operational Sustainability, Bronze | certificate (points-based) | not statedawards expire; term not stated | Say: Tier Certification of Operational Sustainability, Bronze. Applies to operations of a Tier-certified site only. |
| Operational Sustainability, Silver | certificate (points-based) | not statedawards expire; term not stated | Say: Silver. Do not compare grades across different sites without the date. |
| Operational Sustainability, Gold | certificate (points-based) | not statedawards expire; term not stated | Say: Gold, with the date of the award. |
About the programme
- Scheme owner
- Uptime Institute
- Assessed by
- The scheme owner
- Scope
- one operating Tier-certified facility
- Levels
- Bronze, Silver, Gold
- Validity
- Awards expire and operators are encouraged to recertify; the term is not stated on the page read.
- Time to a first certificate
- not published
- Accreditation route
- none (scheme owner certifies)
- Who asks for it
- Enterprise and colocation customers, Wholesale and hyperscale customers, Insurer
- Where it is used
- global
Sources
Official bodies behind this page, each with the date we last read it.
No official body publishes a page for this scheme. The scheme owner's own page, linked under About the programme, is where the clauses are published.
Not legal advice. Confirm each duty against the text itself.