Survey Finds Eight in Ten Data Centre Consultants Willing to Pay Higher Price for Energy Efficiency Systems

Sydney, 18 June 2012 – Australia’s data centre managers and consultants are near unanimous in believing that deployment of new energy efficient data centre systems technology is worth the higher price that this new infrastructure commands.

A survey conducted last month by Eaton, a diversified power management company, found that 86 percent of organisations are prepared to pay a price premium for energy efficient IT infrastructure. Only six per cent of respondents nominated price as a driving priority in designing new data centres.

At the same time, however, the survey found that only three percent of consultants prioritised energy efficiency in the design of a data centre compared to 84 per cent who highlighted the need for reliability in any data centre planning.

Sixty-seven per cent of respondents are now designing data centres with up to 50kW load per rack while one in three consultants believe that data centres built today have up to a ten year operating life span.

Those vendors able to provide end-to-end data infrastructure are set to benefit most with more than one in three (37 per cent) of respondents indicating a preference in dealing with a single vendor and sole contract scenario for items, including power distribution, power quality and rack distribution. Indeed, 78 per cent of consultants claim they rely on an IT vendor’s specialist knowledge and advice to assist in designing power distribution and power quality systems for mission-critical applications.

Finally, the survey found that one in three organisations are prepared to pay higher prices for equipment that has shorter order lead times, including surge protectors, uninterruptible power supplies and generators.

Michael Mallia, Senior Product Line Manager Power Quality - Asia Pacific Electrical Sector, Eaton, said, “Data centres are costly facilities that consume prodigious amounts of power, water, natural resources and space and this survey now confirms that data centre operators are continually searching for ways to build and operate their facilities sustainably and with greater reliability.

“While businesses have been designing data centres for decades, along the way they’ve grown steadily more skilled at constructing and retrofitting facilities in ways that boost their efficiency, increase their availability and lighten their environmental impact. This survey would suggest that today’s economic pressures and environmental concerns now have many businesses looking to lower their energy bills and reduce carbon emissions.”

Designed to provide a snapshot of current data centre planning in Australia, the poll surveyed 67 Australian data centre managers and consultants during May 2012.

About Eaton Corporation

Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with more than 100 years of experience providing energy-efficient solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power. With 2011 sales of US$16.0 billion, Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components, systems and services for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 72,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com