Baseline Magazine - July/August 2010

an ambitious program to understand the carbon impact from a wide array of materials, parts, products, modes of transportation, plants and suppliers—as well as IT systems. Ford uses PTC’s InSight product analytics software to view these factors throughout their life cycle, explains Monique Oxender, global manager for supply chain sustainability.

Another company determined to go green is Tesco, a United Kingdom-based supermarket chain with 4,331 stores scattered around the globe. It aims to slash its carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2020 and become carbon neutral by mid-century.

IT will play an integral role in sliding the dial from goal to
reality by becoming more efficient and helping the organiza-
tion introduce technology solutions. “Green IT doesn’t have
to involve a big financial investment,” says Mike Yorwerth,
group technology and architecture director. “It’s more about
attitude and approach.”
PlanNet’s Davis says that organizations such as Ford and
Tesco are beginning to understand that a comprehensive green
strategy pays enormous dividends and ripples throughout
the business. “They can’t ignore the market dynamics and
the need for a positive corporate image,” he says.

Moreover, the green concept reaches far beyond simply issuing press releases and trumpeting achievements. “It’s about becoming the type of company that appeals to consumers, reducing their costs and future-proofing themselves,” Davis explains.

In fact, some companies have sought out data center locations with renewable energy sources and favorable climate zones. Google’s 75,000-square-foot facility at The Dalles, Ore., for example, relies on hydroelectric energy.

Last year, Google announced plans to build a wind-powered data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. And it recently entered into a deal to buy wind power for the next 20 years to power its data centers. “Companies are increasingly looking for locations that have a greater opportunity for ambient air exchange,” Davis says.

Others are turning to water collection systems mounted on roofs and adjacent areas to facilitate evaporative cooling. Some are relying on fluorescent lighting and using motion detectors to switch lights on and off as needed in data centers. Still other organizations are turning to LED lighting to lower costs further. Although lighting pales in cost and consumption to the electricity used by servers and other data center equipment, “a lot of small gains add up to big gains,” PwC’s Singh notes.

In the end, experts say that IT must play a larger role in the greening of the enterprise. By adopting green technology and practices and looking for ways to leverage technology across the enterprise, it’s possible to reduce the environmental footprint while providing green IT solutions that drive further business gains. Initiatives such as data center consolidation, green building techniques, advanced cooling strategies and virtualization help an enterprise tap into cost savings while creating a positive public image.

“Organizations must put sustainability at the center of their business philosophy,” PlanNet’s Davis concludes. “It’s no longer a fringe issue. Today, it’s part of running an IT department and a business effectively.” 

For More Information U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Star Data Center Energy Efficiency Initiatives: Provides comprehensive information about Energy Star systems, as well as benchmarking data and ratings. tinyurl.com/6dg4n2

U.S. Department of Energy, Saving Energy in Data Centers: Offers information, case studies, software and more. tinyurl.com/24oa8uu

Eco-IT Monitor: Provides a calculator for estimating annual data center energy costs and carbon footprint. tinyurl.com/2e7dwnh

The Green Grid: A comprehensive resource for energy-saving initiatives, with white papers, calculators, guides, and other tools and resources. tinyurl.com/dy75tf