Smartbunker shows environmental commitment

by Catherine Woods - Wednesday, 5th March 2008

Founder Kelly Smith says green technology was vital when they were planning for the data centre.

Smartbunker struck a partnership with IBM to use cutting-edge servers that operate on reduced power. For the power the facility does use, Smartbunker partnered with renewable energy specialists Ecotricity. Power is sourced from wind turbines while bio-diesel emergency generators are on standby in the event the supply is interrupted.

Smith says: “There’s two aspects to this: The first bit is to use as little power as you can, and the second aspect is to make the power you can’t avoid using zero carbon.

“The less power we consume means, for instance, we need smaller generators – everything gets downsized accordingly.”

Smartbunker’s facility is deep underground in an ex-NATO nuclear bunker. That’s also proven to be good for the environment. Smith explains: “Because our facility is totally underground, the cost to cool is a lot lower than being above ground.”

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Tags: ibm, carbon footprint, wind energy, data centre, kelly smith, environmental awareness, smartbunker, ecotricity, green energy, renewable energy, entrepreneur, using less power, green conscience, wind turbines, nuclear bunker,