Environmental Defense Fund – Che Flowers – 2014

Goals

Che Flowers was enlisted as Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) first Climate Corps fellow since the program’s pilot in 2007. He was tasked with working on several projects to green the organization’s enterprise server room and help identify potential energy efficiency upgrades for upcoming office renovations. 

Solutions

Mr. Flowers investigated several projects to increase efficiency in the New York office server room. He recommended installing data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software. This technology manages IT power and cooling needs. He also conducted a thorough analysis of air-flow in the server room in order to identify ways to cool the room more efficiently. His IT work culminated in a data-center best practices questionnaire to help other offices capitalize on energy efficiency opportunities, as well as an IT energy-use metrics toolbox that can support power use efficiency in EDF server rooms.

Mr. Flowers was also tasked with assisting the facilities team in preparation for an upcoming office renovation. He helped in identifying facility energy benchmarks, initiated the process for receiving energy investment rebates from local utilities and worked to incorporate LEED green buildings standards into the project timeline.

Potential Impact

Mr. Flowers ended his engagement with a proposal that could save EDF over 140,000 kilowatt hours per year. Additionally he helped establish relationships between EDF staff and outside contractors that have the potential to yield even greater energy savings in the future. When implemented, his recommended projects could yield a net present value of $110,000.