What we know...

Our business relies on ICT.

What we can safely predict ...

• That reliance will continue and grow further.
• Our ICT environment will continue to rapidly change and our ability to manage change will be extremely important.
• Product lifecycles will continue to reduce.
• Leglislation and taxation will become more significant influencing factors. 
• Energy costs will grow

What we do not know...

The true impact environmental changes will have on our businesses locally or globally.

The current CO2 footprint of our own ICT related activities and the impact our future business demand will have on it.

Forget for a moment the term 'CO2 footprint' 

Think instead... improved efficiency, better resilience and cost effectiveness. 

they should be the expected benefits.

We live in a disposable society, ICT tends to reflect that. Lifecycles are getting ever shorter and we are creating as a consequence of this trend a need to be smart about lifecycle management, and put as much focus on disposal as we do on procurement.

Power is a resource we have generally taken for granted in the ICT world. But power is no longer the silent partner of ICT. It is the principle measurement of operational CO2 emission, and it is also becoming an ever increasingly costly resource. It therefore makes sense to use it efficiently, as you will help meet both your CO2 footprint obligations and also manage your operational costs as a business.

ICT of course is not only a contributor to CO2, it is also a vehicle for a business to save on CO2 emissions. Flexible working / homeworking / video conferencing are examples where ICT is an enabler, allowing business management to execute policies that reduces commuting needs, impacting positively on transport related CO2 costs.

IT/IS departments have a significant lead role to play in the green business initiative. It is something that presents a real opportunity to contribute further improvement to the operation of business and cement ICT place, at the heart of the business.

HowgreenisIT can help you determine the right steps to meet your business needs, small or large. It is about taking the right steps and HowGreenisIT can help you understand and execute those steps.

Three steps to move along the road... 

Examples of green growing issues for IT:

First the bad...

VOIP ... A university replaced their telephone switch (PBX) with an all IP solution with over 3500 IP phones. The power bill for that university increased by an additional £80,000... (that of course is an ongoing cost that will be increasing). 

Who factored power into the ROI? Was this totally unexpected or indeed avoidable? We think so ... more

Now the good...

At Staffs County Council the IT team have written code that shuts down the desktops PC's after hours. This is estimated to save 40K annually affecting around 600 computers that are generally left on overnight.
Like all good ideas, this policy had stemmed from a need to do something else i.e. upgrade the computers with software and restart them.
This story highlights the amount of savings that are out there. 

posted link to the story  

Who owns the budget?

Do you know the answer?

• Who pays the energy bills for the business?
• Is energy  a line item in the ICT budget?
• Have you the means to measure consumption? 

Who therefore owns the CO₂ budget?

Many businesses are keen to start breaking down the energy costs to the key functions. This process can get you closer to understanding your energy needs, and, how to manage them more effectively.

Can we help you develop and deploy new strategies to plan and act, Contact us  to discuss.

What we need to know...

Our current carbon footprint directly associated with ICT equipment in terms of:

• What our current baseline power consumption is directly associated with ICT.
• What impact any planned changes will have on that consumption figure.
• Is ICT being recycled and managed in accordance with regulations.
• Is procurement policy incorporating effective green policies that help select the right vendors.