zColo Significantly Reduces Energy Consumption at Its 45,000 Square Foot New Jersey Data Center With the Help of Bluestone Energy Services and Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) Solution

NEWARK, NJ and NORWELL, MA--(Marketwire - Sep 18, 2012) - With the goal of reducing its IT-related energy consumption and carbon footprint, zColo, a Zayo Group Company, called on Bluestone Energy Services, LLC, a division of OpTerra Energy, to implement a comprehensive energy program at its Newark colocation facility at 165 Halsey St.

At the 45,000 square-foot data center, Bluestone Energy managed a comprehensive and holistic data center energy program that will reduce annual electricity consumption by 3,162,364 kilowatt hours (kWh) and provide a full return on investment in just over one year. Bluestone Energy also helped zColo maintain long-term efficiency goals by adding a sophisticated DCIM solution that will monitor the data center's Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) in real-time.

For the project, Bluestone designed and installed an intelligent cooling system that features a centralized control system that monitors computer room air conditioning (CRAC) unit status and cold-aisle temperature. Bluestone designed and implemented numerous airflow measures -- including blanking panels and top cold-aisle containment -- that remediated the vast amount of cold air that had been mixing with servers' hot exhaust air. Bluestone Energy further improved cooling efficiency by installing high-flow perforated tiles and variable frequency drive (VFD) electronically commutated (EC) motor fans that intelligently respond to wireless temperature sensors on the racks. The cooling system's thermostatically controlled fan trays pull cold air from the raised floor plenum while overhead return fans pull exhaust air from the hot aisles and return it directly to the CRAC units. Additionally, Bluestone installed a free-cooling option on three CRAC units so that zColo can take advantage of outside air temperatures of forty-eight degrees or below.

As a result of the project's efficiency improvements, zColo was able to shut off fourteen of its data center's twenty-seven CRAC units.

"zColo is extremely pleased with the results of Bluestone Energy's data center efficiency solution," said Chris Morley, President of zColo. "Bluestone Energy not only reduced the energy consumption of the data center, but also gave zColo the tools needed to constantly measure PUE and ensure that we are meeting our efficiency goals."

"Bluestone Energy is pleased to have been a part of zColo's effort to reduce its carbon footprint," said Adam Fairbanks, Vice President of Engineering and Business Development at Bluestone Energy. "This comprehensive project significantly increases the efficiency of the data center, reduces operating expenses and decreases the likelihood of mission-critical equipment failure."

About Bluestone Energy Services

Norwell, Massachusetts-based Bluestone Energy Services, LLC, a division of OpTerra Energy Group, provides professional engineering and project development services for utilities and corporate clients. Bluestone is a leader in demand-side management (DSM) programs for large commercial and industrial organizations. Bluestone has secured millions of dollars in utility incentives for its clients by developing and implementing hundreds of HVAC, lighting and process energy-conservation projects. Bluestone has worked with a wide array of companies including American Airlines, Biogen Idec, Genesis Management Group and The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company. Additional information on Bluestone can be found at http://www.bluestoneenergy.com.

About OpTerra Energy Group

OpTerra Energy Group is a leading provider of comprehensive turnkey energy-efficiency and onsite-generation solutions to public and private sector customers across the United States. For more than thirty years, OpTerra's regional operating divisions have successfully delivered energy cost savings, performance improvements, project financing and investment incentives for commercial, industrial and institutional facilities in over seventeen U.S. states. OpTerra is headquartered near Denver, Colorado. For more information, visit http://www.OpTerraEnergy.com.

About zColo

Zayo Colocation Inc. (doing business as zColo) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zayo Group that provides carrier-neutral, interconnection-focused colocation services in twenty domestic locations. zColo is the exclusive operator of the 60 Hudson Street (NYC) Meet-Me-Room and other interconnection-focused colocation facilities in the NY/NJ metro market, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Memphis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Chicago Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Dallas and Seattle.