IT heads get green thumbs: Symantec

A new global survey boasts senior-level IT decision makers are further justifying green IT solutions by more than cost and IT efficiency benefits, by showing increasing interest in green IT strategies and solutions.

Symantec today announced the findings of its 2009 Green IT Report, whereby over 1,000 IT executives worldwide pointed to a shift from implementing green technologies primarily for cost reduction purposes, to a more balanced awareness of also improving their company's environmental standing.

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Ninety-seven per cent of survey respondents confirmed they are discussing a green IT strategy, while 45 per cent have already implemented green IT initiatives.

Symantec's vice president of global solutions, Jose Iglesias, said IT has emerged as a new driving force in implementing green initiative over the past 12 months.

"The pendulum has swung both ways and IT is now taking a balanced approach that is more integral to an organization's 'green' strategy, proven by the fact that the vast majority of respondents are now responsible for the energy costs of their data centre," Iglesias said.

Survey respondents cited some key factors influencing the uptake of green IT:

• reducing electricity consumption (90%)
• reducing cooling costs (87%)
• corporate pressure to be 'green' (86%)

The survey also revealed that 83 percent of respondents are now responsible for the electricity consumed in the data centre.

The surveyed IT executives also reported an increase in green IT budgets, with 73 per cent expecting an increase over the next 12 months, while 19 per cent expect increases of more than 10 per cent.

The typical respondent reported spending US$21 to 27 million on data centre electricity.