Zero carbon proposal is wake-up call

The IT sector generates the same tonnage of CO2 emissions as the aviation industry

Experts have warned that the IT industry has received a wake up call after Chancellor Alistair Darling announced plans that could lead to the compulsory building of 'zero carbon' commercial buildings by 2019.

Industry watchers believe that IT managers who are not already managing their energy consumption are introducing unnecessary business risk and condoning waste.

While there is still debate about how 'zero carbon' will be defined and measured, there is very little evidence that IT managers are planning any action.

The IT sector has recently been exposed as generating the same tonnage of CO2 emissions as the aviation industry.

Paul Eo, regional manager for Europe at data centre management specialist LS Simple, said: "We have seen this problem of burgeoning CO2 emissions from IT coming.

"Our long-term research investment has produced management tools that allow IT managers to be informed, intelligent and proactive about their use of energy. "

Eo added that energy management technologies can initiate a continuing process of multi-million pound savings for an average data centre.