Data centers are energy hogs. They run around the clock, sucking down power. So to save some public face (and save on their electric bills), some IT giants are experimenting with how to make their data centers much more efficient (pdf). Enter Yahoo's new building out in Lockport, New York, near Niagara Falls. It's high-tech inspired by low-tech.
Those server buildings have been nicknamed the "Yahoo Chicken Coop" because they resemble their long, narrow design. This helps encourage natural air flow, however, which Yahoo said means that less than 1 percent of the building's total energy consumption will be for cooling purposes. [PC World]
Architecture isn't the only energy-saver. The local climate helps, too.
Yahoo owes most of the credit to the Lockport location: the cool climate, regular winds and proximity to ample hydropower. But the company capitalized on those things with a smart design and use of more efficient ...
