Datacenter operators dangle green benefits to lure tenants
Providers share their energy-efficiency secrets and link them to cost savings
Follow @tsamson_IWHardware vendors aren't the only organizations out there touting their green credentials to lure customers. Companies specializing in building and operating datacenters, both for individual and multiple tenants, are increasingly trumpeting the energy efficiency and eco-friendliness of their facilities. These traits not only appeal to the "save the planet" sensibilities of more environmentally conscious decision makers but to cost-conscious decision makers as well.
Among the datacenter operators celebrating green achievements is Fortune Data Centers, which recently earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification for an eight-megawatt facility in San Jose. By building and developing the facility with energy efficiency in mind, Fortune Data Centers asserts it will enjoy long-term cost savings that will be passed on to its tenants.
[ Learn how datacenter operator Digital Realty Trust transformed an old printing press into a LEED-certified datacenter. | Like green datacenter operators, companies find that green IT premiums are worth the cost. ]
"We're structuring our business so that customers can enjoy the benefits of LEED-certified datacenter space without paying a premium for it," said John Sheputis, CEO of Fortune Data Centers. "We believe companies shouldn't have to pay extra for energy efficiency; rather they should realize a reduction in costs."
The company revealed some of its techniques for reaping energy efficiency and securing the LEED certification, which is indicative of the fact that datacenter operators aren't nearly as secretive about best practices as they once were. One of the most significant energy-saving practices at the San Jose facility: Fortune has implemented an innovative "overhead down" approach to cooling servers, rather than the traditional "raised floor up." According to the company, this significantly contributes to its claimed Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) rating of 1.37 at full load. (Like any PUE claim, this one should be taken with a grain of salt.)
[ The chief of the Uptime Institute cautions not to get caught up in the PUE hype. ]
In terms of datacenter infrastructure, the company says it invested in UPSes based on their energy-efficiency ratings, presumably instead of opting for the units with the lowest overall sticker prices. Fortune is also educating its customers on how to make their IT operations within the datacenter more energy efficient.
