IT Services is a 2011 finalist in the UK IT Industry Awards in the category of Environmental Project of the Year. With commercial partner Keysource the University upgraded its largest data centre, which houses research computing systems including ALICE, and now achieves industry leading energy efficiency.

The project, led by IT Services, has enabled the University to almost double the amount of IT housed within the data centre without increasing the overall electricity requirements. This has been achieved through use of the Ecofris cooling system designed by Keysource. To run the current IT load at the old energy efficiency would add more than £100,000 to the University’s annual electricity bill.

The University is an early adopter of the new Ecofris system having only the third installation of this system in the world. Keysource and IT Services staff have worked very closely together on developments to the product resulting in further performance, resilience and efficiency improvements since the initial installation.

The project is up against six other projects vying for this prestigious award and the next stage is a judging panel on 30 September. Here judges will pay particular attention to the project's success in one or more of the following areas: reducing energy consumption, shrinking carbon footprints, reducing waste, cutting raw material usage, or motivating positive change in attitudes.

Fingers crossed for the panel, and for the final on Thursday 10 November.