Background
We all know that it is bad to waste electricity. Electricity costs money and generating electricity has an environmental footprint (even renewables). On hot summer days in Ontario, we rely on gas-fired power plants to keep the lights on and the air conditioning running and that has a major carbon footprint and consequences for outdoor air quality. On these, and other peak demand days, the financial savings are also greater because, as a large institution, our electricity rates throughout the year are largely based on the electricity used during the five peak demand days (on billing, see IESO Guide to Wholesale Electricity Charges, and Waterloo North Hydro Medium and Large Commercial Rates). Because we know in advance when these peak demand days are likely to occur, we can take steps to reduce our electricity use.
Information Technology (IT) uses a lot of electricity, and often the computers, servers and supportive technologies are not optimized for energy efficiency. Simple steps, such as increasing the thermostat on peak demand days, turning computers off before the weekend or before leaving for home on peak demand days, setting computers and their screens to hibernate by default when left inactive, and other measures can have a significant effect when applied to server rooms and computer labs. Some of these require a single intervention (e.g. setting computers to hibernate), and some require repeated interventions.
The University of Waterloo Sustainability Office is looking to develop recommendations for how to reduce electricity use in computer labs and server rooms on peak demand days and throughout the year. This work relates to UN Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13 and to item 33 of the campus Shift:NeutralClimate Action Strategy: Stronger guidelines for shutdown procedures of lights, IT equipment, and personal computing equipment will be considered.
Scope of Work Could Include
- Identify all easy to implement mechanisms that could be used to reduce energy use in computer labs and server rooms.
- Consult with ITS and IT groups from one or more faculties to understand the barriers to implementation of these mechanisms. • Make recommendations for strategies that the University can use to reduce electricity use during peak demand days and throughout the year.
- Estimate the electricity and emissions impacts of the proposed mechanisms using
- Marginal emissions factors from the IESO Annual Planning Outlook data tables
- High level electricity cost estimates from the Sustainability Office
- Research further value propositions for the target actions
- Develop communications materials targeted at those that can implement the proposed mechanisms
Resources
The University of Waterloo Sustainability Strategy, Shift Neutral Climate Action Plan, and other resources are available on the campus Sustainability Office website. High level estimates for the savings from electricity use on peak days and on regular days are available from the Sustainability Office.
Stakeholders
- Sustainability Office
Proposed Deliverables
The details of the deliverables are flexible but must meet the requirements set out by the course instructor. Some proposed deliverables include:
- A work plan early in the term outlining key milestones and responsibilities.
- Updates on progress at least once during the term.
- A final report outlining the outcomes of the research, communications strategy, and any further recommendations.
- A final meeting to review the outcomes of the report and answer questions.