Green IT Interrupted

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Darin Stahl

During the most recent recession, when companies were just trying to survive, Green IT took a back seat, particularly initiatives that take time to show an ROI such as improving data center cooling efficiency or switching to more efficient standby power systems.  Along with the recession, energy prices decreased, and that also took the focus off Green IT as energy cost savings are a main driver.  While not surprising that enterprise interest in Green IT rises and falls with energy prices, that is a short-sighted view. This start-and-stop approach is preventing Green IT from gaining traction for many organizations, resulting in an ad-hoc approach that is leaving money on the table at a time when those cost savings could help companies navigate the current soft economic recovery.

Environmental Stewardship Also Decreased Along with Spending

Reducing Capex is only the tip of the melting iceberg.  Recent Info-Tech survey data indicates that not only were Green IT projects scaled back, but organizational commitment to the environment also decreased as organizations dealt with the economic impact of the recession.

 

Green IT Requires a Long-Term Approach to Maximize Savings
Our survey and case-studies indicate enterprises that maintained a commitment to Green IT and the environment were able to continue to reap the cost-saving benefits of Green IT even through the recent difficult economic times. By contrast, those that took a reactive approach had inconsistent results.

A recession is the wrong time to try to initiate Green IT projects, and organizations that wait for an energy crisis to start thinking about energy efficiency are stung by rising electricity costs while they attempt to revive Green IT projects that were put on the backburner.
Successful enterprises are taking a long-term approach to Green IT that starts with finding out how much your IT infrastructure is impacting the bottom line in terms of energy costs. IT energy costs are typically rolled into overall facility costs, but that’s no excuse for not knowing how much IT is contributing to electricity costs, particularly during difficult economic times when expenses elsewhere in the organization are watched so closely.

Info-Tech tools are available to help organizations estimate energy usage if they don’t have formal energy measurement technology in place. IT energy data provides the information necessary to identify where energy savings can be realized and build a business case accordingly. This strategic approach produces much more consistent successful results, and ensures that energy saving initiatives are already in place the next time a recession or energy crisis hits.

This entry was posted in Analyst's Angle and tagged data-center, GreenIT. Bookmark the permalink.