The first ASHRAE/NYSERDA Workshop on Data Center Energy Efficiency was presented March 25 at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY-Albany. 

Paul Tonko, president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), addressed the 125 persons in attendance during the luncheon. Tonko noted that New York State has the 2nd largest concentration of data centers in the U.S. and that nationally, the energy used by servers and data centers in 2006 was estimated to be about 61 billion kilowatt-hours and energy consumption by servers and data centers is expected to double in the next five years.

Attendees at the workshop(s) can learn how to reduce energy consumption in their data centers by up to 75%.  The workshops are led by instructors who are data center authorities and who are active in ASHRAE Technical Committee 9.9, Mission Critical Facilities, Technology Spaces and Electronic Equipment. NYSERDA and ASHRAE are funding these workshops.
 
 “It is my hope that you come away from this workshop having identified some energy efficiency action plans with regard to your data center operations,” he said.  “Further, I encourage your feedback and suggestions on how we can best assist.  We want to help you lower costs, expand capacity, enhance reliability and grow in New York State even as we work toward environmentally friendly outcomes.”  Read Mr. Tonko’s full address.
 
Four more workshops are scheduled during 2008 in New York State.  Registration is free and can be done online at www.ashrae.org/datacenter.