July 31, 2008 -- (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- Telecommunications provider AT&T (att.com) announced on Wednesday that its affiliate AT&T Services has joined The Green Grid (thegreengrid.org), the global organization dedicated to advancing energy efficiency in data centers and business computing ecosystems.
AT&T also announced it will supply data center performance information to assist the US Environmental Protection Agency (epa.gov) in developing a new ENERGY STAR rating for data center infrastructure.
Membership in The Green Grid and participation in the ENERGY STAR data center initiative demonstrates AT&T's commitment to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and to work collaboratively with industry organizations and suppliers to find optimal solutions and best practices.
"Managing the energy we use in an efficient way is crucial to staying competitive -- a commitment that begins in our corporate headquarters and extends throughout our global operations," says Chris Rice, executive vice president for shared services at AT&T. "Joining The Green Grid and collaborating with the EPA reflects this commitment, and we look forward to collaborating with our industry peers to promote more sustainable IT energy efficiency practices."
The Green Grid works to provide industrywide recommendations and best practices on metrics and technologies that will improve energy efficiency in data centers around the world. As a member of The Green Grid, AT&T is cooperating with other companies, such as STRATO to reduce energy consumption and related data center costs.
The EPA is developing an ENERGY STAR Data Center Infrastructure Rating which will help data center operators assess the energy performance of their buildings' infrastructure and identify buildings with the greatest opportunity for improvement.
The initiative will ultimately enable data center facilities to earn ENERGY STAR certification for superior energy efficiency. To help in the development of this rating, AT&T will monitor select company data centers and submit energy data to the EPA during the next 12 months.
In April, The Green Grid signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the EPA to accelerate the adoption of best practices for energy efficiency in existing computer/server rooms throughout the agency.
AT&T is also engaged in other environmentally-friendly practices, and is currently evaluating alternative energy sources such as wind and solar power. The company also conserves natural resources through waste reduction and recovery and recycling efforts, helping its customers do the same.
