Greening IT
By CARISA CHAPPELL, Published May 26, 2009

As green initiatives sweep across community colleges, it’s important to note that creating a green campus doesn’t just stop with the “visuals.”

While the recycling containers, environmentally friendly buildings and solar panels have gained popularity on campuses, things not seen can also have a major impact on the environment.

Incorporating the green movement into information technology (IT) is another example of how sustainability efforts aren’t limited to specific areas on campus.

Kevin Tanzillo of the Association for Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education (ACUTA) said that a number of the association’s members are involved in innovative, environmentally friendly efforts, from revamping data centers to buying more efficient equipment. Some community college IT departments are adding power meters that track and reduce energy usage, while others are upgrading heating, ventilation and air -conditioning systems, he added.

This summer, St. Clair County Community College in Michigan will replace 17 physical servers with three virtualized servers.

“Plans also call for a modest renovation of the data center in order to more effectively control heating and cooling costs, estimated to save the college $150,000 over a three-year period,” according to an official familiar with the plan.

Selecting new PCs with the lowest energy consumption and shopping for EnergyStar-rated products top the recommendations from Gary Audin, president of the network-consulting firm Delphi.

Using an LCD monitor instead of CRT monitor and a laptop instead of a desktop are additional ways to go green that can also cut costs, he said.

“A laptop uses about half the power of a desktop. It also creates less heat,” Audin said.

Power consumption is one of the largest costs in technology departments, Audin said. Desktop technical staff should consider installing PC energy management software that shuts down PCs and monitors when they are not in use.

“The software monitors activity and based on a time out, shuts down the operation. These software technologies cost between $10 and $20 per device,” said Audin, adding that the software also allows a central administrator to set the shut-down policy and receive a report on the energy savings.

Product vendors are also “greening” their products to appeal more to potential buyers. For example, Wimba, an education technology company, has developed an instant messaging platform designed for education that is powered by wind energy. 

Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan and Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana are among the higher education institutions using Wimba Pronto Instant Messenger.

“Students and faculty are quickly adopting lifestyles that are more socially responsible and environmentally aware,” said Kara Monroe, executive director of the Center for Instructional Technology at Ivy Tech.