IBM today announced the launch of a new technical validation program aimed at helping IT customers choose energy- and environment-friendly technologies.

The “Ready for IBM Energy and Environment” programme is a first for the IT industry, according to Big Blue. The validation will enable IBM Business Partners to validate their offerings with a unique mark indicating the product or service has been “rigorously evaluated” to minimise environmental impact.

IBM currently has nearly 100,000 Business Partners that are eligible for the programme.

“We developed this programme to help clients cut through the clutter of self-labeled ‘green solutions’ and identify products and services that offer customer-documented environmental benefits,” said Jim Corgel, general manager of IBM independent software vendors and developer relations. “This new programme showcases solutions that are already reducing environmental impact in the field and will help our Business Partners better position themselves to meet customers’ energy and environment goals.”

One of the first partners to obtain the new IBM validation is APC by Schneider Electric, which provides critical power and cooling services. APC’s InfraStruXure® data center architecture offering enabled one of its customers — Bryant University in Rhode Island — to reduce its electricity costs by $18,000 (US) a year and consolidate three data centers into one, further saving on cooling requirements.

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