Equinix: Equinix to adjust thermostats to optimize data centers

Equinix has announced, in line with a broader commitment to reduce its overall power, it will adjust its data center thermostats, shifting temperatures closer to 27°C (80°F) across its global data center fleet. This change, the company said, will lead to less energy used in 'unnecessary data center cooling.' 

According to the company, this initiative will enable "thousands of Equinix customers" to reduce the Scope 3 carbon emissions associated with their data center operations. This move to reduce emissions comes as supply chain sustainability becomes an increasingly important part of the overall environmental initiatives of those within the industry. 

"Most data centers operate within the restrictive temperature and humidity bands, resulting in environments that are unnecessarily cooler than required," said Rob Brothers, program vice president of data center services and analyst at IDC. He added that Equinix wants to "change the way we think about operating temperatures within data center environments" and that this initiative means Equinix will play a key role in "driving change in the industry," helping shape the overall sustainability story "we all need to participate in."

Sue Preston, vice president, and general manager of advisory and professional services and hardware vendor Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), said: "As a long-time partner, we are pleased to see that Equinix is driving efficient data center operations through smart, sustainable operating practices. Optimizing data center temperatures results in more efficient operations, benefitting businesses and the planet."

Meanwhile,  Raouf Abdel, Executive Vice President, Global Operations for Equinix, said: "Our cooling systems account for approximately 25% of our total energy usage globally. With this new initiative, we can intelligently adjust the thermostat in our data centers in the same way that consumers do in their homes. Once rolled out across our current global data center footprint, we anticipate energy efficiency improvements of as much as 10% in various locations."