Using the Power of IT to Drive Environmental Sustainability: Information Technology has a powerful role to play in reducing energy consumption and driving a better understanding of our impact on the planet.

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So the question is how can companies like Microsoft help address environmental challenges. At Microsoft we’re pursuing three paths aimed at a more sustainable future. First, we see software as a tool that can make big strides in improving energy efficiency. One of our primary focuses, of course, begins with the energy efficiency of information technology itself. Windows 7, for example, has the most effective energy conservation features we’ve ever put into Windows; energy efficiency is designed into Windows 7. Additionally, with technologies such as virtualization, we’re able to get more “right-size” servers and provide the right level of capability while reducing energy and improving efficiency.

As an operator of many of the world’s largest datacenters, we also are working to significantly improve energy efficiency and drive significant gains in the number of transactions that can be performed for each unit of energy. For example, new datacenters in Dublin and Chicago are 50 percent more efficient than their predecessors. In Dublin, the 5.4-megawatt datacenter needs no chillers for cooling. Instead it relies on careful placement of its servers and software control so that outside air alone keeps the datacenter working without requiring high-energy traditional air conditioning systems. This enables significant energy savings over traditional cooler-intensive datacenters.

Using the Power of IT to Drive Environmental Sustainability: Information Technology has a powerful role to play in reducing energy consumption and driving a better understanding of our impact on the planet.