BNY Mellon's (NYSE: BK) 71,000 square foot data center outside Pittsburgh has become just the third facility to earn the newly minted Energy Star for Data Centers rating.

The company's Northpointe Data Center facility, which opened its doors in 2006, follows in the energy-efficient footsteps of NetApp and Consonus, the other two companies to get the award.

"It's by design that our on-going sustainability and energy conservation efforts have resulted in this new and significant data center ENERGY STAR designation as we grow our business in an environmentally sustainable way," Chip Logan, managing director of BNY Mellon facilities services and sustainability, said in a statment. "Together with our partners, we've implemented a program of continuous improvement that supports our high standards for energy use and even higher regard for the environment."

In order to earn the Energy Star label, the Northpointe facility must use at least 35 percent less energy than a typical data center; the only buildings to earn the label are those that score above 75 on the 100-point scale used to rate buildings' energy use.

The rating, which began certifications in June 2010, was several years in the making. Earlier this summer, EDF Climate Corps fellows suggested three ways to improve the Energy Star rating for data centers as a way of making the label even more impactful.