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The Planet Cuts Lighting, Costs at Data Centers
Hosting company The Planet expects to save $140,000 a year with its company-wide "lights out" program aimed at reducing energy use.
The Planet estimates by conserving lighting and HVAC consumption at its Houston and Dallas facilities, it can save 1.4 million kilowatt hours a year.
Instead of always leaving the lights on at its two Houston data centers and four Dallas data centers, The Planet will keep lights on only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Anyone working after-hours will turn lights on only in the areas they are working, and some sections will have a few overhead lamps operating to eliminate the need for turning on all the lights in some rooms.
The company's corporate offices in those same cities are taking up a similar program, leaving lights and HVAC running primarily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. About 95 percent of the lights will be turned off during the remaining 12 hours a day. Some departments like the call center, sales and network operations center are staffed all day, and will be able to run lights and HVAC in their areas. In addition, all individual offices have been equipped with motion-sensor lighting controls.