How your organisation can contribute to sustainable IT

Demand for digital services keeps growing, and with it the energy consumption of our IT. According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), data centres in the Netherlands used around 5,100 gigawatt-hours in 2024, 4.6 percent of all electricity consumption and comparable to almost two million households; in 2017 that share was still 1.2 percent. From data centres to laptops: every device and every click costs power. Fortunately you can do a lot yourself to reduce the impact and save costs.

Sustainable IT (Green IT) — organising hardware, software and cloud use so that the energy, raw materials and waste of IT stay as small as possible over the entire lifecycle, from purchase to reuse.

1 · Choose energy-efficient hardware

Outdated servers, PCs and network equipment often use more power than necessary. Replacing them in time, or choosing refurbished, energy-efficient devices, lowers energy costs and CO₂ emissions. Look at energy labels when buying and set automatic power saving centrally through Intune, so it does not depend on individual settings.

2 · Use green data centres and cloud

Moving to the cloud can be sustainable, provided you choose data centres on green power with efficient cooling. A shared, well-utilised cloud environment is more efficient per workplace than your own server cabinet that mostly sits idle. Dutch Tier III/IV data centres, such as those behind Qteco's sovereign cloud, report their energy efficiency.

3 · Raise employee awareness

Sustainability starts on the work floor, and small habits make a big difference: switching screens off instead of standby, cleaning up unused apps and files, no duplicate storage of the same documents. A simple checklist keeps it alive.

4 · Optimise software and processes

Outdated or poorly configured software runs slowly and wastes server capacity. By streamlining processes, switching off unused licences and servers and using modern, lightweight software, you work faster and more efficiently.

5 · Choose reuse and recycling

Worn-out laptops, printers and smartphones do not belong on the waste heap. Through circular IT programmes, parts are reused or responsibly recycled, with a certificate of data destruction.

Frequently asked questions

Is the cloud always more sustainable than own servers?

Usually yes, because capacity is shared and better utilised. It depends on the power source and the efficiency of the data centre; ask your provider for the energy report and the origin of the electricity.

How much does an energy-efficient laptop really save?

A modern laptop uses a fraction of an old desktop with a separate monitor, and lasts longer with central management. Across a fleet of twenty workplaces that shows on the energy bill.

Where do I start with a limited budget?

With what is free: set power management centrally, switch off unused servers and licences and use the employee checklist. Then replace hardware with more efficient models at the natural moment.

Sustainable IT does not have to be complicated. Qteco helps with a sustainable IT strategy that saves costs and meets sustainability goals. See how managed IT includes device and licence management as standard.

Sources

1. Datacenters verbruiken 4,6 procent van de elektriciteit — CBS
2. Het stroomverbruik van datacenters in perspectief — NLdigital