ICT Industry announces support program for ICT energy saving campaign

In one of the first energy-saving initiatives of its kind, the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) – the peak body of the Australian Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry – has today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Computers Off Australia (COA).

Computers Off Australia is a non-profit campaign to accelerate the implementation of energy saving measures across both hardware and software applications, as well as to promote awareness of the potential for significant energy savings in the ICT sector, technology end-user communities, and most industry sectors across the Australian economy.

“The ICT industry has an important role to play in tackling climate change, starting with the reduction of energy consumption in our own sector” said AIIA CEO Ian Birks. “We are very pleased to be working with Computers Off Australia to promote both the greening of the ICT industry, as well as ICT’s critical role in providing energy-efficient solutions for a sustainable and low-carbon economy in Australia.”

Mr Birks added that AIIA, with the support of COA and others in the ICT industry, have already proposed a number of Complimentary Measures to support the Government’s recently announced Mandatory Measures supporting the adoption of the US Energy Star Program (‘E*’) as the basis of an efficiency standard for PCs and monitors.

As part of the MoU, AIIA will promote ICT energy-efficiency certifications (or ‘organisation labels’) provided by COA to AIIA members and clients as well as publically supporting and promoting the Computers Off Australia campaign in many other areas.

Computers Off Australia CEO, Dr Idris Sulaiman, welcomed the outcome. “By pooling our knowledge, and resources, AIIA and COA will be able to drive sustainable ICT initiatives further and faster across the ICT industry and major user communities,” said Dr. Sulaiman.

“Moreover, now is the time that the ICT industry needs to show the Australian community the critical role that our products and services will play delivering energy savings – particularly significant in the face of the current financial downturn.”

“Not only can we greatly reduce the greenhouse emissions associated with computer and telecommunications technologies in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, our industry as a whole can make a very significant contribution to the green transformation of all industry sectors.”

In the short term, AIIA has agreed to jointly scope and develop education and training packages for energy-efficient computing and ICT sustainability for both government and industry. Both organisations will work cooperatively to promote sustainable ICT publications and events.

“This is a statement of the ICT industry’s commitment to action in the face of the challenges presented by environmental sustainability and climate change,” said Mr Birks.
“This MoU creates a unique partnership that will fast-track the implementation of sustainable technology initiatives, focus on the education of ICT employees, and examine the potential for new and specialised roles in our industry.”

“We are committed to working together to demonstrate the potential for technology solutions reduce carbon emissions across the Australian community,” concluded Dr Sulaiman.