Data centers and energy savings

Some advice on how to save energy in data centers to achieve net-zero energy.

By Scotte Elliott, CEM, Metro CD Engineering, Powell, Ohio July 26, 2013

One of the best ways to achieve energy savings in computing is to reduce the amount of IT equipment. Server virtualization is a popular and effective way to eliminate a large number of underused physical servers while providing the same level of service with a small number of highly used servers.

In a data center, there is opportunity to reduce HVAC energy by employing row containment strategies to reduce the mixing of cool supply air with hot exhaust air. In-rack cooling solutions offer even greater savings by reducing the volume of conditioned space from the entire data center to the inside of the racks.

From the end-user perspective, desktop computers should be replaced with energy-efficient laptops. Some facilities have eliminated hardwire Ethernet and use wireless for end-use devices instead. This eliminates networking equipment that would otherwise consume energy 24/7.


Scotte Elliott is an electrical engineer and energy specialist at Metro CD Engineering in Powell, Ohio. He is a Certified Energy Manager, a NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional, and past division chair of the American Solar Energy Society.

See more advice on net-zero energy design as well as some examples of net-zero energy buildings below.