In 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency told Congress that data centers consumed about 61 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and that, on the current path, consumption would double again by 2011 unless something was done. At ColoGuard, we took action and implemented a green initiative that’s paying off in more than one way.

We recently sent out a news release with some interesting numbers. Even with this year’s unusually warm winter, one program that involves cooling our data center with cold winter air has resulted in a 75% reduction in air conditioner usage.

It is estimated that 70% of energy used at a data center is from infrastructure, and nearly half of that number is used to cool equipment to ensure optimal temperatures and airflow.

Less air conditioning means lower electrical bills, and that’s one of the reasons ColoGuard can beat its competitors on price for colocation services. The biggest benefit, though, is to the environment. By using less electricity, ColoGuard is reducing its carbon footprint but also demand on the electrical grid.

Who says it isn’t easy being green?