Data centres

It’s an ongoing challenge to keep our data centres, which are densely packed with servers that emit high levels of heat, suitably cooled and operating continuously and efficiently.

We define a ‘green’ data centre as having increased efficiencies in electrical power use and space utilisation, and using low or non-polluting energy sources. It is not just about reducing our carbon footprint – but doing so while meeting business needs and operating efficiently.

In 2009, we completed a pioneering project at our data centre in Gloucester, UK. We implemented an innovative ice store-linked cooling system, which saves energy used to produce chilled water and will reduce the site's carbon emissions by 10 per cent – the equivalent of 600 tonnes of carbon dioxide. The data centre has since been awarded a series of environmental accolades including recognition from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, and a prestigious ‘Excellent’ rating from BREEM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method).

In the US, Barclays Capital is consolidating eight data centres into four key sites. The move is set to reduce overall electricity consumption by approximately 4.4 per cent.

And in Singapore, a programme to review data centre cooling has led to the server air intake temperature being raised by 2˚C. This has resulted in a 37 per cent decrease in the energy required to chill the water used for cooling.

Power consumption

Other key ways in which Barclays is reducing wasted energy include the introduction of ‘Nightwatchman’ software in 2010. The software allows UK desktop computers in Barclays Global Retail Banking Business Unit to be automatically switched off overnight when not required.

The project offers twin benefits: reduced power consumption costs and a reduction in carbon emissions. If results of the UK trial prove encouraging, Nightwatchman could be implemented across every desktop computer in Barclays Global Retail Banking worldwide.

In one of the UK’s largest such projects in the financial services sector, Barclays is also introducing compact computers across the business, to reduce power consumption. Desk PCs will be replaced with smaller devices, known as a ‘thin clients’, which typically use less than 10 per cent of the power of a standard PC. Applications will run from a remotely located server, while all the other hardware, such as the screen, keyboard and mouse, remain unchanged.

In Spain, Barclays launch of thin client workstations across the Global Retail Banking Cluster has been awarded financial support from the Spanish Government, recognising the programme’s significant contribution to energy savings.