Data Synergy PowerMAN saves University of East Anglia 40% of student PC running costs
|
"Taking into account the cost of the PowerMAN software, the saving in operational costs would cover the software within approximately 2 months"
The University of East Anglia has around 5,500 desktop computers for staff and student use. Between October 2008 and March 2010 the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) funded ‘Sustainable ICT Service Provision’ project (SISP) investigated desktop computer power monitoring and management using Data Synergy’s PowerMAN software.
|
|
"In student IT areas where we applied power management we have achieved a 40% saving in power consumption…This equates to an average saving per PC of 269kWh and a reduction in running costs of £27 [per PC] per year."
The desktop project was part of a wider effort to investigate energy consumption and sustainability in a university environment and
provide guidance relevant to other HE/FE organisations. Other project areas included data centre energy usage,
thin client devices and sustainable ICT procurement. The project produced several reports and videos
which are available directly from the project website.
Student Desktops - Executive Summary
In student IT areas where we applied power management (491 PCs in total) we have achieved
a 40% saving in power consumption, equivalent to 132,000 KWh per year and a financial saving of £13,464.
This equates to an average annual saving per PC of 269KWh and a reduction in running costs of £27 per year.
This has been achieved by use of Data Synergy’s PowerMAN software to put systems into "sleep" mode (<1.5W)
out of core hours. When we have rolled out this power management system across all student IT areas it is estimated
that a total saving of 348,000kWh per year will be achieved, thus reducing CO2 emissions by 188,111kg and running
costs by £35,496. Taking into account the cost of the PowerMAN software, the saving in operational costs would
cover the cost of the software within approximately 2 months. Additional savings will accrue as we start to
implement additional power management policies to reduce power wastage caused by daytime inactivity in student IT areas.
Project Reports
SISP Desktop Computer Power Management Report
SISP Thin Client Pilot Report
SISP Project Final Report
External Links
University of East Anglia Sustainable ICT Service Provision Project (SISP)
Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC)
Acknowledgements
We are very grateful to Steve Mosley, ICT Policy Manager at the University of East Anglia, for permission to quote from the SISP project reports.