Eco-friendly data centres – mission impossible?

UK data centre operator iomart will host a free seminar at Wembley Stadium later this month challenging the industry to come clean about its lack of green credentials.

The company, which has four state-of-the-art data centres throughout the UK, including one in the heart of the City of London, has invited several experts in the sector to talk about how the data centre industry can mitigate its impact on the environment.

Speakers at the June 25 seminar will include:

Victor Smith – enterprise technologist, Dell
Steve Wallage – CEO, data centre analysts Broad Group
Josh Boulton – Green IT magazine
Stuart Paul – director of data centre operations, iomart


iomart managing director Sarah Haran said it was important for the data centre industry to recognise its impact on the environment, but insisted any green initiatives had to have real value.

She said: “Powering and cooling data centres requires a lot of energy, which means that their carbon footprints are pretty hefty. It’s estimated the average data centre uses as much electricity as 4000 homes, and that globally, data centres generate between 100 million and 150m tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

“We know the industry is keen to balance its environmental impact, but it’ll take an awful lot more than screwing in a few energy-saving lightbulbs.

“This seminar will challenge data centre users and operators to think seriously about tackling their carbon emissions, or at least offsetting them, in an industry where, in reality, being environmentally-friendly is an uphill struggle.”

The seminar will be followed by a tour of Wembley Stadium.

The event is free to attend and a few tickets remain and can be booked at: www.iomart.com/events

Agenda for Day

10.00 – 10.15 Advertised arrival time for delegates & Registration
10.15 – 10.30 Welcome Address – Phil Worms
10.30 – 11.00 Session 1 – Steve Wallage – The data centre in 2 years
11.00 – 11.25 Session 2 – Josh Boulton – Industry trends
11.25 – 11.40 Morning refreshments
11.40 – 12.30 Session 3 – Vic Smith – Energy efficient data centres
12.30 – 13.30 Buffet lunch
13.30 – 14.00 Session 4 – Stuart Paul – The sharp end: managing data centres
14.00 – 14.15 Delegate Q&A
Afternoon Teas & Coffees & cookies
14.30 Stadium Tours
14.45 Stadium Tours
15.00 Stadium Tours
15.15 Stadium Tours
16.00 Close of the day

Contact Information

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