Environmental Leader

IBM has launched a new energy efficient data center that, in turn, lowers the carbon footprint of clients who use it for “cloud computing.”

The data center, in Research Triangle Park, N.C., can continuously read temperature and relative humidity throughout the operation, adjusting cooling in response to changes in demand. This reduces annual energy costs by 15 percent, according to a company spokesman.

The data center uses about 6 megawatts of power with 60,000 square feet of raised floor space, reports eWeek. At full capacity, it will be able to handle the needs of 40-50 clients.

The data center takes advantage of free cooling about half of the year, with a mechanical system design that is  50 percent more efficient than one without heat exchangers for free-cooling or chillers. This equates to a reduction of about 31,799 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

The data center, which is of modular design, has some other eco-friendly features, such as:

- A reflective roof that reduces solar heat.

- Rainwater collection system.

- Use of low-sulfur fuels to reduce emissions from backup generators.

- Energy efficient lighting technology on timers.

IBM has applied for LEED Gold certification for the facility, which was constructed using 20 percent new materials from recycled products. During construction, 95 percent of the original building/shell structure was reused and 92 percent of construction waste was recycled.

The data center can provide its own backup power in case of an outage, and it has tanks to hold 150,000 gallons of chiller water to keep equipment cool in such situations.