Sustainability in IT Services

Sustainability is high on the agenda for IT Services at Glyndŵr University and has become embedded into our decisions on how we procure products and services and in the management and operation of those services.

Many changes have already taken place, and we have plans to continually improve.

Initiatives include:

• Reduction in number of printers across site by introducing more networked workgroup printers.
• Duplex printing is set as default on the majority of printers.
• Procurement includes duplex printers as standard and eco-mode printing; PCs procured use lower energy processor technologies.
• Replacing CRT displays with LCD displays, reducing energy usage.
• Active monitoring of PCs in use, and a campaign to switch off unused devices at night and during inactive periods has reduced wastage significantly. Automatic shutdown on schedule of IT labs PC.
• Recycling of product packaging.
• Increased use of remote support tools, reducing IT engineers’ travelling.
• Implementation of SMS text alerting service for students, keeping them informed of lecture changes thereby reducing wasted journeys. 
• Construction of a paperless meeting room incorporating laptops and displays, which will reduce paper waste.

Looking forward, plans include the following:

• Use of thin client computing to decrease energy usage.
• Automating shutdown of all PCs.
• Powering down sections of the network out of hours.
• Investigate use of outside air cooling for equipment rooms to complement air chiller units. Reducing energy used to keep equipment rooms at correct temperature.
• Detailed monitoring and evaluation of printed material to drive a reduction in waste.
• Plans to increase virtualisation of servers to reduce energy usage.