green data center

• Minimizing the footprints of the buildings
• The use of low-emission building materials, carpets and paints
• Sustainable landscaping
• Waste recycling
• Installation of catalytic converters on backup generators
• The use of alternative energy technologies such as photovoltaics, heat pumps, and evaporative cooling
• The use of hybrid or electric company vehicles

Building and certifying a green data center or other facility can be expensive up front, but long-term cost savings can be realized on operations and maintenance. Another advantage is the fact that green facilities offer employees a healthy, comfortable work environment. In addition, green facilities enhance relations with local communities.

There is growing pressure from environmentalists and, increasingly, the general public for governments to offer green incentives: monetary support for the creation and maintenance of ecologically responsible technologies.

Getting started with green data centers

To explore how green data centers are used in the enterprise, here are some additional resources:

The green data center: Energy-efficient computing in the 21st century: This e-book explains the forces driving IT energy consumption, why you should care and how you can mitigate the problem.

Green data centers are about money, not the environment: In this tip, a systems management expert claims that the real goal of green data centers should be save money through systems management tools like IBM's Tivoli.

Read more about green data center: - Gensler has designed a green data center in Frederick County, Maryland.

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