It is probably no news that data centres tend to waste energy, but did you know they are also responsible for a few percent of the world’s total CO2 emissions? That is more than caused by all air traffic worldwide. This presented Imtech with a reason to vigorously pursue the ‘greening’ of data centres, with a new generation of data centres that will meet the environmental requirements of today and tomorrow.

Data centres that qualify for the 'green' label emit the smallest possible amount of harmful substances and consume considerably less energy. This means that you have to make allowances in the design for the needs of the customer, says Arno Fens, Data Centre Sales Manager at Imtech Special Market Solutions. 'It means avoiding overkill investments - we all know about the technical facilities that remain unused for the first two years – and instead paying as you grow. This is better financially, too, because you can immediately start marking down'.

He says the secret is to maximise the ecological gains without affecting the working of active automation components. This is possible by such means as more efficient cooling, making use of the outdoor temperature. Imtech is advancing in this field with Common Rail Cooling®, a new solution that reduces the electricity requirement by about 40%. This is achieved while retaining or even improving the performance of IT hardware.

'Sense of urgency'
Combined with the latest virtualisation technologies (the scaling up of existing IT capacity), the next generation of Imtech’s green data centres provides demonstrable environmental benefits, while the Total Cost of Ownership goes down. The larger the data centre, the greater the effect will be on the financial picture, according to Fens. 'The media introduced the term ‘green’, but in fact it is simply a question of making smart use of your resources. This is a good ambition in the data centres market, where the demand for more square metres is growing by 10% a year. The environment is high on the public agenda and large-scale consumers must fall in line under the pressure of public opinion'.Fens does not need to convince customers of this necessity. A sense of urgency already exists. Data centres that expand or replace are willing to go green, provided that it does not impair their operational capability.Fens: 'Everybody wants to be the greenest data centre in the Netherlands. But greening does not stop at the time of delivery. It is a continuous process of improvement, repeatedly using new technologies. Green must become a mindset. That also applies to the people who sell it. This is why I drive an A label car'.

Data centres can never be green enough for Fens (left) and Data Centres Manager Gert Boer of Imtech Special Market Solutions.