8/11/10

By Sophie Baker

The European Union’s (EU) voluntary Code of Conduct for Data Centres on Energy Efficiency is failing to secure a significant level of support in the UK, according to Sentrum, a specialist in data centre solutions.

Research from the Group showed that by mid-2009, only 12 per cent of companies had adopted the Code of Contact, which is a standardised and accurate way of rating data centres.

Only 15 per cent of large UK organisations were found to have adopted it in 2010, a fact that has further fuelled concerns over the industry’s failure to advance the voluntary Code.

Ninety-four per cent of IT managers cited issues that have hindered their company’s efforts towards adopting or complying with the EU Code of Conduct, with 36 per cent saying there have always been other, more important IT priorities to manage. Stretched resources were the most common obstacle (48 per cent).

Signing up to the Code has not been an indication of the Code being adhered to, and 47 per cent of the early adopted said the recession is to blame for the continued lack of compliance.

Franek Sodzawiczny, development director and partner at Sentrum, said: “Our research showed that the failure of the Code to gain traction within the industry is largely due to the way in which it has been set up, introduced and administered. By being presented as a voluntary choice, the Code has simply become a toothless guard dog – essentially lacking the tools to police, and enforce, the associated necessary standards.”

Eighteen per cent of respondents think the Code’s low profile is to blame for hindering adoption and compliance within the industry, and the same percentage blames a lack of policing. Twenty-seven per cent believe a lack of potential financial penalties associated with non-compliance is at fault.

“The net result of this is a failure of the Code to deliver upon its basic remit. Not only are we seeing pathetically poor levels of adoption, but of those who have signed up, 87 per cent admit to failing to comply with the Code recommendations.”

However, 2010 could bring good news, with 48 per cent of participants very likely to adopt the Code, compared to 33 per cent in 2009. However, this would be on the condition that future adoption can also be equated to compliance.