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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallIBM opened its Big Green data-center expansion in Boulder, Colorado, in 2008, presenting it as its “greenest” data center in North America. The project combined reuse of an existing building, energy-efficient IT and cooling, and purchased wind electricity. Historical IBM material reports a PUE of 1.3, but does not establish a current Boulder-specific figure or confirm whether the facility still operates.
What was IBM’s Big Green data center?
“Big Green” was IBM’s name for a data-center expansion in Boulder, Colorado, opened in 2008. IBM’s environmental report described a 115,000-square-foot facility, including 70,000 square feet of raised-floor space, as part of a larger $350 million investment in Boulder. A later IBM technical presentation describes the broader Boulder data-center site as 300,000 square feet. These figures refer to different scopes: the 2008 expansion and the larger site, respectively. IBM’s 2008 environmental report IBM Storage University presentation, approximately 2020
IBM’s report used the heading “IBM OPENS ITS GREENEST DATA CENTER IN NORTH AMERICA.” The label describes IBM’s characterization at the time, not a current ranking against other data centers.
What made the Boulder facility green?
It reused a building and construction materials
Rather than build the facility entirely from scratch, IBM retrofitted an existing office building. The company reported reusing 98% of the original building shell, recycling 65% of materials from the original building, and sourcing 25% of newly purchased material from recycled products. These figures describe different parts of the construction effort and should not be conflated: shell reuse is not the same as recycled construction material. IBM’s 2008 environmental report
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIt used virtualization and energy-efficient infrastructure
IBM paired high-density computing with virtualization and energy-efficient power and cooling technologies. Virtualization can let a smaller number of physical servers handle workloads that would otherwise require more separate machines; high-density computing concentrates computing capacity in less space. IBM presented these approaches as ways to reduce the facility’s energy use and carbon footprint compared with a standard data center. IBM’s 2008 environmental report
It used free cooling when local conditions allowed
When outdoor temperature and humidity were favorable, the facility used a water economizer for free cooling. IBM described this as a mode that reduced energy consumption by using suitable external conditions instead of relying as heavily on conventional mechanical cooling. Because the approach depended on Boulder’s weather, free cooling was conditional, not a claim that mechanical cooling was unnecessary year-round. IBM’s 2008 environmental report
An IBM technical presentation from approximately 2020 reports outside-air free cooling for 63% of the year. That is a historical presentation figure, not a current operating measurement for the Boulder facility. IBM Storage University presentation, approximately 2020
It purchased wind electricity
IBM reported buying more than one million kWh of wind-powered electricity per year for the facility. The company also said the purchase was planned to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately two million pounds per year. The emissions figure was a projected annual reduction reported in 2008, not a measurement of current or cumulative savings. IBM’s 2008 environmental report
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What was the Boulder data center’s PUE?
IBM’s technical presentation reports a PUE of 1.3 for the Boulder data center. PUE, or power usage effectiveness, compares total data-center energy use with the energy used by IT equipment; a lower value indicates that less energy goes to facility overhead such as cooling and power delivery. The 1.3 figure is historical, from a presentation dated approximately 2020, and is not a current Boulder-specific measurement. IBM Storage University presentation, approximately 2020
IBM’s 2024 sustainability reporting gives a weighted-average PUE of 1.41 across its data centers, a 25.5% improvement over its 2019 baseline. That is a company-wide figure and cannot be used as the Boulder facility’s PUE. IBM sustainability reporting
Was the Boulder facility LEED certified?
IBM’s technical presentation reports that the Boulder data center achieved LEED Silver certification. The presentation does not establish a newer certification status. IBM Storage University presentation, approximately 2020
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is IBM’s Boulder data center still operating?
The IBM materials cited here do not establish whether the Boulder facility is still operating. They also do not provide a current Boulder-specific PUE. IBM’s sustainability reporting says 83% of the company’s data-center electricity came from renewable sources in 2024, but that figure describes IBM’s data-center fleet as a whole, not Boulder. IBM sustainability reporting
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