

What Is Green IT?

I’m in the middle of writing a three-part series on IT’s role in solving energy and environmental problems.

How do you define “Green IT?” Sure, data center energy savings are a huge opportunity. Data centers consume more energy per square foot than any other part of an office building. But they’re part of an information and services supply chain that begins with raw materials and ends with the disposal of waste. The chain includes people, the space they occupy, and the cars they drive. Along the way, the chain increasingly gobbles energy and spews greenhouse gases.

Growth is driving global trends in resource depletion, air and water pollution, energy consumption, and climate change. A third of U.S. energy consumption comes from commercial buildings. Businesses are automating those buildings to reduce costs and emissions. Will IT lead, or follow, the coming change?

Part 1: Cutting Emissions and Energy Use Enterprise-wide

Part 2: Converging with the Shadow Network

Part 3: The Grid Gets Smart (coming soon)

Denis Du Bois