IBM further bolstered its green credentials today with the launch of Green Sigma, a new consulting offering designed to help firms reduce energy and water consumption.

Green Sigma (PDF) is based on Lean Six Sigma, a best practice framework for creating process efficiencies, lowering costs and improving performance.

It applies the same principles as Lean Six Sigma to energy and water consumption, focusing on areas including IT and transportation systems, according to Niall Brady, worldwide technical development manager for Green Sigma at IBM.

The vendor said that Green Sigma consists of five phases which can help with corporate social responsibility initiatives.

The framework starts by creating relevant key performance indicators (KPIs), then identifies where certain activities should be measured and uses a dashboard system to monitor and analyse KPIs and other data.

Organisations will then be encouraged to apply Green Sigma statistical tools and techniques to analyse and improve processes and thereby reduce energy usage.

The final stage involves an ongoing optimisation of these processes and KPIs, and the identification of new areas where improvements can be made.

"Typically a breakdown of energy usage does not exist so an IT manager does not understand how energy is used," said Brady.

"Awareness is 90 per cent of energy management and Green Sigma is strongly focused on the metering piece."