Data center, featuring technologies from Emerson Network Power, part of corporation’s plan to consolidate 100 data center sites around the world into four
ST. LOUIS, Sept. 3, 2008 – Emerson (NYSE:EMR), a leader in developing technology that helps companies operate data centers more efficiently, is building a multi-million dollar data center on the company’s St. Louis campus that will help support Emerson’s global operations.
The 35,000-square-foot facility, scheduled to open next summer, will use the latest technologies from Emerson Network Power. The new data center will serve as a showcase for other data center developers facing the same challenge: using the significant energy these facilities require as efficiently as possible while achieving 100 percent reliability on a massive scale.
Construction of the data center, which will support the company’s global network of worldwide manufacturing and engineering operations with thousands of users, is part of Emerson’s plan to increase efficiencies by consolidating over several years its 100 global data center locations into four.
“The St. Louis data center project is part of an effort to enhance business efficiency, improve productivity and further strengthen network security,” said Emerson CIO Steve Hassell. “Our ultimate goal is a state-of-the-art data center, and by incorporating the full spectrum of products and solutions from Emerson Network Power, we expect to finish this project with a powerful, efficient, best-in-class data center to support our businesses and better serve our customers.”
The new facility, which is currently under construction, will feature numerous Emerson Network Power products from brands such as Aperture, ASCO, Knurr and Liebert, some of the best known names in the world for data center technologies, and ones that are present in the data centers of the Fortune 100 companies.
These technologies and the overall design of the facility will help Emerson use 17.5 percent less energy per year than the traditional data center, according to Fox Architects, the lead designers in the project. In addition, Emerson anticipates receiving LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The energy-saving features include a solar array on the building’s roof that will be used as a source of power, daylighting features, and a reduced building footprint. As IT equipment is installed, Emerson will implement strategies recommended in Emerson Network Power’s Energy Logic plan to yield additional energy savings, putting into practice what Emerson advises its customers to do every day.
“We’ve been telling our customers that the data center needs to be flexible, reliable and operate at the lowest total cost of ownership,” said Victor Lee, chief technology officer for Emerson Network Power. “This project gives us a chance to implement the strategies and technologies we recommend to our customers, and will give us a chance to share our first-hand experience after being in their shoes.”
Data center efficiency is a challenge facing many companies globally, as studies show the amount of energy and resultant costs increasing by double digits each year unless companies take steps to utilize their data centers more efficiently.
The topic is clearly an important one to enterprise-level operators of data centers. According to the Data Center Users` Group® (DCUG), a group of influential data center, IT and facility managers regularly surveyed by Emerson Network Power, improving energy efficiency is important. Nearly 75 percent of respondents in the regular survey taken in the Spring of 2008 said accomplishing such a task is important.
That task isn’t simple, however. According to the same survey, 40 percent of respondents said they are not measuring the energy efficiency of their data centers currently, although they plan to “in the future.”
“We hope this showcase data center will help other companies meet this challenge,” said Lee. “Operating efficient data centers is in the best interest of the companies that own them, as well as everyone who shares our planet.”
About Emerson
Emerson (NYSE: EMR), based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions to customers through its network power, process management, industrial automation, climate technologies, and appliance and tools businesses. Sales in fiscal 2007 were $22 billion. For more information, visit www.Emerson.com.
About Emerson Network Power
Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson (NYSE:EMR), is the global leader in enabling Business-Critical Continuity™ from grid to chip for telecommunication networks, data centers, health care and industrial facilities. Emerson Network Power provides innovative solutions and expertise in areas including AC and DC power and precision cooling systems, embedded computing and power, integrated racks and enclosures, power switching and controls, monitoring, and connectivity. All solutions are supported globally by local Emerson Network Power service technicians. Learn more about Emerson Network Power products and services at www.emersonnetworkpower.com.