Equinix - GOING GREEN - What Else Can Be Done? TELEWORKING &TELEPRESENCE

Implications: I am all for going Green.  Whether you believe in Global Warming or not, it is simply good business and good corporate citizenship to use resources responsibly. I have a few suggestions and I am sure a company like AT&T will disagree. Think teleworking and telepresence.

Analysis:

The most obvious examples of good resource management and energy saving are electrical and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) use.  Equinix has deployed heat exchangers and air economizers, which enable it to cool their data centers with less energy demand on the local electrical utility.

The company is also using more and more hydropower for their data centers.  Another idea that could be adopted is using wind power and solar energy.  Think about replacing where you can and think about supplementing where you can.

This is all very good for the environment.  Companies should follow Equinix’s lead.  However, more can be done.  Equinix need to think about deploying data equipment that uses less power.  By the way consider this suggestion an opportunity for a vendor.

In the interim, Equinix or any company can do simple things like turning off lights in the data rooms when they are not occupied and reducing the wattage of the lights used.  Turn off lights when you leave your office.  A few years ago, I had a data center lower their ceiling from an outrageous height of 12 feet and 15 feet to 10 feet.  This resulted in energy savings all around.  Simple stuff.

Here is another suggestion, ask employees to work from home on certain days.  You can power down whole office complexes.  Such a move would reduce gasoline consumption by employees driving to and from work, and reduce building energy consumption.  Of course, if employees are home they will likely use electricity at home.  AT&T will hate this idea since they seem to be moving down the path of eliminating teleworking.

My suggestion to all companies that have the cash is:  Implement telepresence.  Reduce travel and save travel dollars as well as reducing fuel costs.  Telepresence can help in a big way.  Vendors and investors – I just made a suggestion.

Okay there is no perfect solution.  Energy savings will be in dribs and drabs but every little bit helps.

I believe the most significant way Equinix can help is by using more energy efficient telecom/IT network equipment.  Don’t ask for recommendations on how that could be accomplished; it’s called intellectual property.