The University of Melbourne, Monash University and RMIT University have announced an innovative collaboration with Fujitsu Australia to develop a shared data centre that will make a significant contribution to cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
The data centre, to be built in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, will cut energy use through improved data centre design and the shared use of the latest energy efficient technology. Greenhouse gas emissions from the ICT sector are forecast to increase from 2 per cent in 2009 to 6 per cent by 2020 as a proportion of global total emissions, according to Fujitsu’s research report ‘Green ICT: The State of the Nation’.
The facility will serve some 200,000 students and staff – a population greater than that of Ballarat and Bendigo combined.
RMIT Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Margaret Gardner AO, said: “The collaboration between the three universities is an Australian first and will deliver data centre capacity at a lower cost than could be achieved independently, while securing greater flexibility and setting high standards for sustainability.”
Monash Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Edwina Cornish, said work on the 10-year project would start later this month. “We take our environmental responsibilities very seriously. The universities’ decision to partner with Fujitsu was influenced by its demonstrated innovation in sustainability and its long-term commitment to developing sustainable data centre environments.”
In 2008, Fujitsu was rated a world leader in the “Assessment of Global Low-Carbon and Environmental Leadership in the ICT Sector” by Gartner and the WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature).
University of Melbourne Provost, Professor John Dewar, said the shared data centre was a win-win situation for the universities and the environment. “Our commercial, technical and legal teams have worked closely together to achieve this outcome, which brings considerable savings, the opportunity to increase data centre capacity in a more flexible and rapid way as demand increases, as well as substantial energy efficiency and sustainability,” he said.
CEO, Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand, Rod Vawdrey, said: “We will keep raising the bar in terms of innovation, sustainable design, availability standards and performance of our facilities.”
The first stage of the data centre will be available in late September for set-up and the universities will move in by January 2010. Expansion of this facility will be commissioned in 2011. Expected rising demand will be met by an increase of 100 square metres of space per year.
Earthwitness 