In short
- The worldwide energy demand is gigantic and our stocks are running out
- Odin Groep reduces her company-wide energy consumption with various measures
Global Goal
We ran out of our yearly resources for 2018 on the 31stof August, 2018. It was Earth Overshoot Day: the day we officially asked for more than the earth can provide. The same goes for electricity shortages. The Dutch Data Center Association warned for a data centre electricity shortage in May 2018. Stijn Grove, director of the DDA, says: “We already ran out of power for the next four years at Schiphol-Rijk, and in the South East of Amsterdam and the Science Park we’re almost at that point”.
This means we need to use the earth’s resources smarter and more efficiently, also regarding buildings. So-called “smart buildings” are buildings in which people and companies live and work comfortably and sustainably. They use smart technologies to contribute to, amongst others, sustainability and comfort.
Since data centres are essential to our digital world, it is vital to make these large consumers switch from fossil to sustainable energy, thus reducing their environmental impact. Odin Groep has pushed forward such sustainable measures and progressive initiatives for a long time. This not only has reduced its impact on the environment but also prevents Odin Groep from being concerned about ‘imminent power shortages’ in the future.
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A central environmental policy is applied in the operations of Odin Groep, in which suppliers are also involved. The organisation thus meets the most important environmental and sustainability requirements; it uses 100% green energy, has installed solar panels on the roof of one of its two data centres and reuses the residual heat from the data centre for heating the office building of Odin Groep through free-to-air cooling. Cold air from outside is used to cool the data centre. This means that much less power is required compared to using an air conditioner. The cold air is separated from the warm air, allowing efficient cooling. The residual heat produced by the data centre is used to cool and heat the adjacent 12-storey office building. Toilets are flushed with rainwater and flora and fauna are also taken care of: nesting boxes for bats and water for birds and amphibians are included.
“We will not be impacted by such shortages any time soon. Our data centres are at the forefront of using energy-saving technologies. Our 2013-built data centre was the first in the world to receive the BREEAM "Excellent" certification, a quality mark for the sustainability of buildings. Because sustainability is deeply embedded in the DNA of Odin Group, we are well prepared for the future.”
Read more about Odin’s sustainable policies regarding employees, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the environment
Date: 1 August 2018 |
Source of tekst: Odin Groep |
Author: Twente.com