This issue is caused by the unique case in which CBECS (Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey) and ZeroTool calculate the baseline and target EUI for Data Center building types, and a baseline EUI limit of 2 from the DDx.

Unlike other building types, Data Centers have 1 additional input titled Annual IT Energy (kWh). This value is crucial for generating an accurate baseline and target EUI for equipment-load driven building types. As you create a project in cove.tool, users should use one of the 8 standard templates to initiate a project. Next, inside the baseline energy page, users should then alter the engineering inputs to match the design of their data center. When creating a Data Center project it is crucial to increase cove.tool's equipment load input, titled Appliance Use (W/ft2). Leaving this input as automated for any of the 8 initial building templates would be an incorrect and extremely low estimate for a Data Center. Often this calculates a 0 EUI for Baseline and Target. The DDx will automatically reject a project which must have a baseline EUI of 2 or higher.

Some example W/ft2 for a data center Annual IT Energy into the Appliance Use Input input would be on average 52 W/ft2 (559.72 W/m2) according to LBNL. Definitely talk to your engineer to get a sense of the W/ft2 that most closely matches your data center.

Here is an example of how to calculate your W/ft2 for a typical data center.

As this is a result of an unaltered engineering value, users must calibrated their projects to meet the Data Center demands, ie. a much higher Appliance Use (W/ft2) value. If you raise this value in cove.tool to match your intended use, then cove.tool's baselines and targets will look much more realistic and allow for the upload to the DDx to properly connect.