August 2008 — News
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Green Survey: Are Schools Geared Up for Energy Reduction?
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Information technology leaders in K-12 schools are more concerned about energy issues than their counterparts in every other sector--corporate, state/local, federal, and higher education. But they also feel least equipped to effect measures that would reduce energy consumption and energy costs, according to a new survey released Monday by CDW Government (CDW-G).
The K-12 IT Energy Efficiency Picture
According to the report, dubbed the "Energy Efficient IT Report" (E2IT), 71 percent of K-12 IT pros said they're concerned about lowering and managing energy costs versus and average of 61 percent in all other sectors combined. They're also more likely than others (50 percent versus 41 percent) to train their staffs to engage in energy conservation techniques, such as turning off lights when they leave a room.
However, according to the survey, they are also the least confident of all in their knowledge of energy efficiency, with 57 percent of respondents reporting that they don't know all they could about energy efficiency compared with an average of 47 percent in other sectors. And, significantly, only 20 percent reported that they would receive recognition by management for improving energy efficiency in the IT department. This compares with 36 percent in other sectors.
E2IT was based on a survey of 778 information technology professionals in both public and private sectors. Those surveyed were responsible for equipment purchases for their organizations. One hundred fifty-two of these worked in the K-12 sector.
"... [T]he E2IT Report detects high levels of support for energy efficiency among IT executives, but E2IT also finds serious deficits in the information needed to address it effectively," said CDW Vice President Mark Gambill in a statement released to coincide with the survey findings. "There are tools to help, but the range of available options may be daunting for organizations that lack resources to tackle the challenge."
The report provided several recommendations for improving the energy situation in K-12 schools.
