SUSTAINABLE IT HARDWARE: WHY, HOW & WHAT

Topics such as environmental awareness and sustainability are on everyone’s lips. Consumers pay attention to these points and make their purchasing decisions accordingly. Green IT hardware is an important building block in an environmentally conscious corporate strategy. But what exactly is sustainable IT hardware, and how does a company benefit from it?

What is Green IT Hardware anyway?

The term Green IT hardware refers to systems that are designed to be environmentally friendly in their entirety. This refers to all areas of computing. Thus, sustainable IT hardware is energy-efficient in operation. At the same time, environmental compatibility is already taken into account in the choice of components. This also applies to the packaging.

The long-term strategy also plays a role in sustainable IT hardware. Green IT hardware only makes sense if it is used for as long as possible. Of course, this is only feasible if the systems are reliable and can be upgraded. The overall concept is therefore important for Green IT hardware. This is made up of many individual factors.

In summary, Green-IT hardware combines the following characteristics:

• low power consumption
• Use of recyclable materials
• a holistic concept in packaging for waste avoidance
• resource-saving components
• Focus on long life cycles
• Lowest possible maintenance requirements and high reliability

What distinguishes sustainable IT hardware from other systems?

Green IT hardware distinguishes itself from regular hardware and computer systems in many ways. In part, this is visible at first glance. Other differences and benefits lie in the details and only reveal themselves on closer inspection.

One important difference is the concept. Strategic IT planning is usually about maximum performance. Accordingly, the acquisition is always made with a large performance reserve. However, this also means that resources remain unused.

Green IT hardware pursues a different strategy. The aim is to make the best possible use of resources. This means that the systems are dimensioned accordingly. Better utilization is achieved by not leaving the resources of the systems largely unused.

Rather, it is important to purchase hardware with the performance capability that is really needed. The choice of components in the systems is made accordingly. With hardware, it usually turns out that the most powerful components trade off the last few per cent of additional performance with disproportionate power consumption. This is particularly bad when this performance is not needed at all.

For this reason, sustainable IT hardware focuses on energy-efficient components. These save energy during operation and provide sufficient performance for most use cases. You benefit from this through lower electricity costs.

If more performance is needed, an expansion or upgrade is the right option. This is another important point of Green IT hardware. It is designed in such a way that an upgrade is possible by simple means. This allows the continued use of the existing platform, again conserving resources.

How can I identify sustainable IT hardware?

There are various options for integrating sustainable IT hardware in your own company. Of course, it is possible to purchase the components individually, paying attention to the important criteria. However, this is impractical. Moreover, it requires both knowledge of the subject matter and the ability to assemble computer systems yourself.

It is more practical to look for independent labels. These recognize Green IT hardware that meets the strict criteria for sustainable IT hardware in all respects. One such label is the?Green Product Award.

It focuses not only on sustainable IT hardware. The organization also honours fashion, household appliances and consumer goods of all kinds. A Green Product Award is given to items that in their entirety represent a green alternative to existing products.

Prime Computer’s PrimeMini 5 received in 2021 the Green Product Award in the Workspace category.?The PrimeMini impressed the jury in terms of design, innovation and sustainability.

Why should I go for Green IT hardware?

There are several good reasons to rely on sustainable IT hardware when building your infrastructure. Many of these points are in your own interest.

First of all, there are the energy costs. In recent decades, electricity and other energy sources have become increasingly expensive. This trend will continue as a result of the turnaround in energy supply. The electricity demand is thus placing an increasing burden on your company’s balance sheet. If you want to remain competitive in the long term, you need energy-efficient systems. Green IT hardware makes exactly that possible.

Then sustainable IT hardware can also be used to good effect to boost the company’s image. Consumers now attach importance to companies paying attention to sustainability and environmental protection. Customers choose their products, services and business partners accordingly. With a consistently environmentally friendly strategy, you give your company a green reputation. This attracts customers.

If you are interested in sustainable IT hardware,?contact Prime Computer now. There you can learn more about the topic and get practical and sustainable IT solutions for your business.

?Green IT Hardware from Prime Computer

Prime Computer has been fully focused on environmentally friendly and compact systems for years. These computers are designed for professional use in corporate environments.

In Prime Computer’s range, you will find various systems built around sustainable IT hardware. One of these is the?PrimeMini. This compact system has been developed as a workstation. The PrimeMini replaces conventional desktop PCs and relies entirely on green IT hardware.

With the?PrimeServer Pro, Prime Computer also has a server in its portfolio. The focus is on sustainability and economic components. At the same time, the PrimeServer Pro covers all tasks that a conventional server is intended for.

With the?PrimeMini IoT, there is also a particularly compact and economic system for special applications. The PrimeMini IoT is intended for use as an edge gateway, thin client and many similar roles. In these areas, the PrimeMini IoT comes up trumps with its particularly low power consumption.

The Prime Computer concept: focus on green IT hardware

Since its foundation in 2013, Prime Computer has pursued a clear goal. The focus is on developing innovative systems that meet high standards economically, ecologically and socially.

One of the goals is?climate neutrality?in the IT sector. Sustainable IT hardware plays an important role here. A large amount of CO2 and equivalents is produced throughout the life cycle of IT systems. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions requires a coherent overall concept. In addition to avoiding and reducing emissions, this includes offsetting greenhouse gases.

Such a concept goes far beyond the mere electricity consumption of the computers in operation. For example, Prime Computer has replaced plastic packaging with ecological and recyclable alternatives based on sugar cane.

Another measure is the offsetting of emissions generated via certified projects. In this way, climate projects – such as planting trees – offset the emissions generated. This is the first step of achieving climate neutrality in the IT sector.

Prime Computer also offers climate-neutral IT leasing.?Prime Computer as a Service?creates another opportunity to use computers wisely and for as long as possible. In this way, the systems can achieve a long lifespan, which reduces the need to purchase new computers.

Last but not least, Prime Computer has a?Second Life Cycle program. You can return the equipment you no longer need to Prime Computer. The hardware is then refurbished, and the systems are given a second life. This significantly increases the life cycle of the hardware, again saving resources. Prime Computer offers its customers credits for participating in the Second Life Cycle program.

Achieving climate neutrality with sustainable IT hardware

For many companies, the topics of sustainability and climate neutrality now play an important role. In addition to conviction, marketing and image issues are also decisive.

Anyone who wants to establish a climate-neutral business must consistently implement this concept in all areas. Accordingly, IT also plays a role here. Many companies achieve climate neutrality by supporting environmental projects. On paper, this produces a good balance sheet. However, the systems are not very economical in everyday use and continue to require many resources in the life cycle.

When it comes to equipment, it makes more sense to opt directly for technology that is as environmentally friendly as possible or even completely climate-neutral. This is possible with the systems from Prime Computer. No further measures are required, and the entire IT is automatically climate-neutral, environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.

The benefits of Prime Computer’s Green IT hardware

As a user, you benefit from sustainable IT hardware in many ways. First of all, there are the obvious benefits. First and foremost are the operating costs.

For many companies, rising energy costs are a problem. They are driving up ongoing expenses. That’s why more and more companies are looking for energy-saving alternatives. Green IT hardware is a good option here. The power-saving components ensure systems that require significantly less power during operation than comparable conventional computers.

Due to the high electricity costs, Green IT hardware pays for itself after a short time. If you replace 20 regular PCs in your company with the PrimeMini 5, you can save between 4000 and 5000 CHF within five years. A large part of this saving comes from lower electricity costs. Our?sustainability calculator?shows you how much you can save.

But this is not the only factor that reduces running costs with Prime Computer products. The lower maintenance costs also contribute to this. Furthermore, Prime Computer’s Green IT hardware is characterized by a low failure rate. This is also due to the special selection of components.

Among other things, this is because there are no mechanical components. PrimeMini, PrimeServer Pro and the other systems from Prime Computer have passive cooling. Fans installed in other PCs are prone to failure, especially in continuous operation. A cooling failure often results in further problems, such as a temporary failure of the affected system.

Leasing or upgrading: benefits of green IT hardware and a sustainable strategy

With Green IT hardware from Prime Computer, there are even more benefits open to you. For example,?IT leasing?is a cost-effective way to get a modern infrastructure. Leasing eliminates the need for an initial investment in hardware. Instead, a monthly rental fee is charged for the systems.

In addition, Prime Computer’s systems are designed for easy upgradability. Companies often purchase new computers because their existing systems are no longer powerful enough. If, on the other hand, an upgrade is possible, you can avoid having to buy a new one.

Thus, an expansion of PrimeMini’s RAM is possible. The SSD can also be replaced so that you can expand the storage space. The PrimeServer Pro offers even more options. The compact case still offers space for six storage drives. The hybrid caddy allows for quick and easy expansion. There is also a port for an m.2 SSD.

The long warranty period is an advantage for you as a user. Prime Computer offers a five-year warranty on its systems. On the other hand, most other computer manufacturers only have warranty periods of two or three years.