Benefits and Strategies for Green Data Centers and Green IT

When looking for green data center options companies should take look at the green data center facility built by Internap just outside of Boston in Somerville, MA. The Internap facility actually received a rebate check from the local utility provider for $453,000 because it is so environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Internap also expects to see $400,000 in savings each year based on what the expenses would be if the data center had not been designed to meet green standards. The company used a warehouse building and remodeled it to house the green data center and designed the renovation for optimum performance, cooling, humidity, and energy consumption. built in Somerville, Mass., just outside Boston, which is so environmentally efficient the local power company wrote it a rebate check for $453,000.

Meeting increased demand for data centers these days requires a lot of power. Data centers are being designed these days with up to 300 watts of power per sq. ft. which is substantially more than just a few years ago when 60 watts per sq ft was sufficient for most installations. The United States has seen power consumption of data centers nearly triple since 2000. Creating a green data center doesn't have to cost much more initially if the proper research is done. Green building products and green technology has seen a significant decrease recently and with the right plan and research a green data center can be possible with a similar budget to one that is not up to green specifications.

Using Energy efficient cooling units are one of the first priorities in designing a green data center because proper cooling is essential to keep your data center running at optimum performance. There are extremely efficient water based cooling units available today that meet green standards and can easily cool your data center. If the water based units are a bit out of budget there are also air based units that have coils that can be changed later to the more efficient water based coils. Placement of your cooling units on the roof of the building subjects them to high temperatures, having a roof that is reflective in nature can help add to the efficiency of your cooling units. White or light colored roofs are better than black or dark colors, this means the units stay cooler and the building doesn't absorb as much heat inside which then has to be cooled.

Along with proper cooling, humidity must also be considered in your green data center plans. Having a system that maintains humidity above 40% will prevent the static electricity build up that can be the death of your data center. Using an efficient ultra sonic cool humidifier system can use 90% less energy than a steam humidification system. Rather than heating water to get steam that adds humidity this system uses a mist of water that is at the temperature from the tap. This cooler temperature of the mist can also help absorb some of the heat from the air and reduce the load on the cooling units in your green data center. Air sealing techniques will also add efficiency to green data centers. By eliminating the loss of conditioned inside air as well as eliminating the intrusion of outside air the it will be significantly easier to maintain the proper temperature and humidity levels for your green data center.

Using energy efficient lighting will add another level of efficiency to green data centers. Using motion sensors to turn lights on and off will prevent energy from being used when it is not needed. Using newer technologies in energy efficient lighting will also allow you to get the same amount of light while uses substantially less energy. Many of the lighting products available today use up to 75% less energy than traditional lighting options while producing the same amount of light.

The overall design for your green data center should be a well researched and energy efficient project. Today's green technologies have made it easier than ever to implement green standards and create green data centers on similar budgets to those data centers that do not meet the green standard. The IT products that go into your data center are also becoming more green and using the latest green IT products will make your data center even more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.