Green IT - Key Contributor to Campus Sustainability

Although college and university campuses are increasingly focusing on sustainability efforts, the direct impact of IT on institutional carbon levels and the potential for new technologies to reduce inefficiencies is not always considered in the overall effort. The Presidents Climate Commitment, for example, makes no mention of server consolidation or data center virtualization in its strategies for achieving carbon neutrality. The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Ratings System (STARS) currently being piloted by the AASHE lacks any substantial IT component for campuses to self-assess their progress toward campus sustainability.