Investment in supplier of energy-saving tech for data centers benefits both business and the environment
Vancouver, B.C., El Cerrito, CA, (June 4, 2013) – TELUS Internet data centers just got a lot cooler – literally. TELUS Ventures has made a venture investment in Vigilent, a Silicon Valley business that creates sustainable energy management systems for cooling buildings with electronic equipment that gives off a lot of heat – data centers, telecommunications switches, and large commercial buildings. Their technology can cut cooling energy consumption in such buildings by up to half.
The investment by TELUS’ venture capital division follows the successful deployment of the Vigilent system in three TELUS data centers and several telecommunications buildings over the last year. Four more data center conversions are in progress.
“We are proud to be offered the chance to work with TELUS to improve the energy efficiency and reliability of one of the best telecommunications networks in the world,” said Mark Housley, Vigilent CEO. “Our close collaboration with TELUS over the last year has delivered impressive results and we are enthusiastic about how our joint efforts will make for a more sustainable planet, while also delivering immediate reductions in energy costs and significant mitigation of cooling-related risk.”
Established in 2004, Vigilent uses artificial intelligence and wireless technology to deliver advanced data center infrastructure management (DCIM) technologies that help clients reduce energy costs, increase equipment reliability and contribute to a more sustainable planet. “We feel that this is a very wise investment for our company,” said Mathew George, vicepresident of TELUS Ventures. “We look for investment opportunities with companies that have both a strong earning potential and are focused on an area of interest for TELUS – and this one definitely fits the bill. Not only does Vigilent align with our next-generation cloud computing strategy, it also supports our commitment to being a leading corporate citizen and our climate change strategy.”
Lloyd Switzer, TELUS senior vice-president of Network Transformation, added TELUS has been able to use Vigilent technology to extend its world-class approach to energy management to make existing facilities far more energy efficient than previously possible. “We deployed Vigilent technology into existing data centers and telecommunications switching buildings and in a week we were able to dramatically reduce the amount of power they use for cooling,” Switzer said.
As part of TELUS’ next-generation cloud computing strategy, the company recently opened a new Internet data center in Rimouski and will open a similar facility in Kamloops this summer. These new centers are among the most environmentally sustainable, secure and reliable operations of their kind in the world. Meeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standard, they are designed to use up to 80 per cent less power than a typical data center of their size. The combination of new highly efficient footprint plus Vigilent technology deployed in existing facilities provides TELUS with tools to substantially reduce cooling energy consumption.
Reducing its energy footprint is an important goal for TELUS, and the company aims to reduce absolute energy consumption by 10 per cent and greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent by 2020 as compared to its 2009 levels.
About TELUS Ventures
TELUS Ventures, the strategic venture investment arm of TELUS, evaluates companies, markets, management teams and technologies to ensure a fit to TELUS’ strategy and to maximize financial returns on investment. The Ventures’ team drives success for its portfolio of company investments by actively facilitating relationships within TELUS and our network of partners.
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $11 billion of annual revenue and 13.2 million customer connections, including 7.7 million wireless subscribers, 3.4 million wireline network access lines, 1.4 million Internet subscribers and 712,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services, including wireless, data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment and video.
In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed more than $260 million to numerous charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered 4.2 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Fourteen TELUS Community Boards lead TELUS’ local philanthropic initiatives. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.
For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.
About Vigilent Corporation
Vigilent Corporation (vigilent.com) is the leader in intelligent energy management systems, an essential solution for data center infrastructure management (DCIM). The company applies advanced Intelligent Analytics technology to address the real-time energy demands of data centers, colocation providers, telecommunications facilities, and large buildings. Vigilent protects uptime through dynamic management of cooling resources, while delivering significant, immediate reductions in cooling energy costs and carbon emissions through automated 24/7 monitoring and control of mission-critical facilities. A privately-held firm located in San Francisco’s East Bay, Vigilent is committed to green energy solutions that reduce and inform energy use, making for a more sustainable planet.
For additional information, please contact:
Shawn Hall
TELUS Media Relations
(604) 619-7913
Shawn.Hall@telus.com
Pam Crowley
Vigilent PR
(408) 529-9655
pcrowley@vigilent.com
Vigilent, the Vigilent logo, Intelligent Analytics, and Intelligent Energy Management are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Vigilent Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
