March 11, 2009 —IBM has introduced what it says is the first consulting service designed to help government organizations analyze energy and water use, assess waste management, evaluate overall environmental impact, and develop improvement strategies.
According to IBM, its Public Sector Energy and Environment Diagnostic can help governments better understand their overall performance on environmental issues, identify improvements that can increase energy efficiency, reduce environmental impact including greenhouse gas emissions, and help ensure public institutions meet their own rising environmental standards.
IBM developed the diagnostic to help US federal agencies comply with current requirements for broad improvements in efficiency and economy for all environmental, energy, and transportation management operations. However, it can be adapted to any future requirements for US government agencies or for use with any other federal, state, or municipal government in any country, says the company.
The IBM Public Sector Energy and Environment Diagnostic offering uses a proprietary Heat Map tool to provide an initial analysis. Based on IBM’s Component Business Model approach, the tool breaks organizations down into logical segments—finance, operations, procurement, etc.—and then provides an analysis as to how well they are performing in terms of efficiency, cost and environmental impact.
Areas for potential environmental improvement are color coded to help government institutions prioritize where to make changes. From there, IBM can assist government agencies in developing a comprehensive strategy for prioritizing and implementing those changes, accounting for the cost and benefit of each solution.
Specific areas addressed in the diagnostic include environmental management systems; energy and greenhouse gases; water management; waste and disposal; facilities and equipment; and workforce programs.
