The hosting provider Infomaniak continues to grow and makes ecology a priority
Infomaniak is the No. 1 web hosting provider in Switzerland. It offers SSD shared web hosting, SSD cloud servers, housing and video and audio streaming services. Active throughout Europe, the company has three data centres in Switzerland and is distinguished by its social responsibility policy and concrete action taken in favour of the environment. Infomaniak is ISO 14001, ISO 50001 certified and its commitments were rewarded with the Canton of Geneva Sustainable Development Award in 2015.
Thee Genie.ch team went to meet Infomaniak to learn more about the greenest data centre in Switzerland.
Can you remind us what a data centre is used for?
A data centre is a place containing computer equipment that operates continuously. They store all the data, such as emails, websites, social networks and videos, that each Internet user accesses from a computer or a smartphone.
What solutions have you set up for your Datacentre DIII to consume less energy?
CHF6 million were invested to design the Datacentre III and many measures have been implemented to significantly reduce power consumption.
First, we only use clean energy (60% hydro and 40% renewable energy) while the majority of data centres are still powered by fossil fuels or nuclear energy. Next, the DIII has a ventilation system that operates only with outside air, without any need for an air conditioning system. Finally, all our computer servers use "Low voltage" and "Fresh Air" technology to reduce power consumption and are replaced every four years in order to have more powerful and more energy-efficient machines.
The energy efficiency indicator (PUE) for the DIII is well below 1.1 while the industry average is typically around 1.7. This means that for every 100W consumed by the servers, only about 10W are used for operating the Datacentre (ventilation, security cameras, etc.).
What initiatives is your Datacentre part of?
Infomaniak has been a major player in the field of web hosting for over 20 years and we have always been aware of our impact on the environment.
In 2007, Infomaniak adopted an environmental charter that sets out 17 commitments that we apply in our daily actions (waste recycling, encouraging employees to use green mobility, preferring local shopping, using efficient technologies to limit our energy footprint, etc.). In 2015, the company was certified ISO 14001 and ISO 50001. These standards are used to measure the improvement of our energy performance and provide a framework for assessing and anticipating potential environmental risks related to our activities.
In addition, Infomaniak compensates for all of its CO2 emissions by supporting projects run by the MyClimate foundation. 100% of the energy we use is renewable and all the CO2 released by the construction of Datacentre III has also been compensated for.
With continued growth over many years and a turnover of CHF18 million for 2015, Infomaniak demonstrates that healthy growth is consistent with a sustainable development policy.
By sharing our know-how and what we have learnt about energy management, we hope to encourage other companies to be aware of their responsibility towards future generations in the area of preserving the environment.
What makes you able to position yourself as a pioneering company for energy efficiency throughout Switzerland and worldwide?
With an energy efficiency indicator of less than 1.1, the Datacentre III is the greenest data centre in Switzerland. In 2015, Infomaniak won the sustainable development award from the Canton of Geneva, and more and more consumers and organizations are giving preference to socially and environmentally responsible companies. The positive response that Genie.ch is getting from companies is proof of this!
Video of Infomaniak's Datacenter III
Infomaniak Network SA employees who featured in this article
