Green Technology

IBM achieves its first LEED Gold certification for the company’s green data center in North Carolina, on the Research Triangle Park campus.  The facility is modular in design and capable of scaling addition capacity quickly without impact to the existing datacenter operations.  The sustainable design incorporates features, such as:

• Existing building reuse;
• Construction material recycling;
• Water management;
• Energy conservation;

This design surpasses energy efficiency performance across the global footprint of IBM data centers.  …

…   “The new facility, which is the company's most technologically advanced green data center, officially opened in February 2010 and is IBM's first LEED Gold certified data center.  IBM was awarded the LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) which certifies which facilities meet the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

A key factor in IBM's LEED recognition was the company's re-use of an existing building on its RTP campus.  The construction reused 95 percent of the original building's shell and in the process IBM recycled 90 percent of the materials from the original building and ensured 25 percent of newly purchased material came from recycled products. 

These factors helped reduce the carbon footprint associated with 100,000 square feet building by nearly 50 percent.  One of the unique features of the IBM facility is a rainwater collection system which generates non-potable water to be used in the facility. “   …

Via IBM: North Carolina Green Data Center (Link to Release).

LEED Gold certification.

IBM Research Triangle Park campus.