Each year, some 250,000 patients and their families use the services of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston, MA. This 550-bed adult medical-surgical teaching hospital, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, is known for its surgical and clinical expertise. In addition, BIDMC prides itself on a high level of patient safety and quality of care. BIDMC also prides itself on implementing cutting-edge green technology. In fact, its goal is to increase green purchasing 15 percent by fiscal year 2012.
Perhaps most important of all for conservation and data protection, BIDMC’s two data centers have reduced energy use by consolidating servers, replacing older, less energy-efficient devices, and reconfiguring equipment despite growing electronic demand. For protecting vital data, including patient records, against costly power outages, the center now relies on flywheel systems, UPS, batteries, and generators. The data centers are also improving thermal management by reducing under-floor cables, using perforated inserts, shutting down an unneeded air conditioning unit, and making other adjustments as needed.