Equinix (News - Alert), a global provider of network-neutral data centers and Internet exchange services, has announced that all four of its Silicon Valley Internet Business Exchange centers have received certification from the Bay Area Green Business Program.

Supervisor Pete McHugh, Chair of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors commended Equinix for its pioneering role in “becoming the first data center operator in our County to receive Green Business certification.” 

Margie Backaus, chief business officer of Equinix said the company was pleased to be recognized by the Bay Area Green Business Program. "Since the construction of the first Equinix IBX data center in the Silicon Valley nearly ten years ago, we have been keenly aware of the efficiencies that can be achieved through innovative design, equipment and programs.”

Further emphasizing its commitment towards supporting green initiatives in the data center industry, Equinix also announced that it had become a general member of The Green Grid (News - Alert). The Green Grid is an independent, non-profit association open to IT industry professionals globally who are interested in increasing energy efficiency in data centers and business computing ecosystems.

Equinix won the "Data Centers Europe Green Award” at the Data Centres Europe conference for its commitment to 'green' practices like implementing advanced data center technologies and aligning clients on efficient equipment deployments and configurations such as hot-aisle, cold-aisle configurations.

 

Equinix has deployed heat exchangers and air economizers in its data centers as well as used green energy sources such as hydropower and their four centers in Switzerland operate on 100 percent hydropower.

The Bay Area Green Business Program is a partnership between the City of Burlingame, Daly City, Millbrae, Redwood City, San Carlos and San Mateo and County of San Mateo, US EPA, Cal EPA Department of Toxic Substances Control and the business community. It assists and supports businesses that volunteer to meet higher standards of environmental performance and reviews company programs that support energy conservation, "green" purchasing policies, recycling, pollution control and transportation alternatives, and awards certification after an external audit by local government officials.