A number of associations, consultants and vendors have promoted best practices for enhancing data center energy efficiency. These practices cover everything from facility lighting to cooling system design, and have proven useful in helping some companies slow or reverse the trend of rising data center energy consumption. However, most organizations still lack a cohesive, holistic approach for reducing data center energy use.

Emerson Network Power analyzed the available energy-saving opportunities and identified the top 10. Each of these 10 opportunities were then applied to a 5,000-square-foot data center model based on real-world technologies and operating parameters.