Spring 2009 issue of Horizons

Raise Your Expectations CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS AND BUSINESS CONSULTANTS

Bick Group’s corporate headquarters building, which achieved LEED gold certification, is its flagship i-Building ® .

“It used to be that green was the furthest thing from people’s minds when it came to data centers – the overriding concern was avoiding business interruption,” said Frank Bick, CFO. “With the ever-increasing focus on energy savings and reducing carbon emissions and waste, there is a tremendous amount of pressure on data center professionals as the largest energy hog in most businesses to think about how they consume energy. When you consider the momentum of such advocacy groups as the U.S. Green Building Council, along with a recession-driven cost saving emphasis, not tackling the energy issue is considered irresponsible. Our practical approach to data center solutions focuses on energy and utilization efficiencies while still addressing capacity needs and business interruption prevention.” In addition to its core data center business, Bick Group has developed the i-Building ® , a concept that combines the functional efficiencies of a data center with the energy efficiencies of a green building. These intelligent buildings use data center features such as under-floor air systems and building controls in conjunction with green building concepts like daylighting. One strategy might be tying lighting controls in with the card-access system so that if the building is unoccupied and someone keys in, the lighting will be activated in that person’s work area. Bick Group’s corporate headquarters building, which achieved LEED gold certification, is its flagship i-Building ® . Whether it is a data center or an i-Building ® , Bick Group’s approach for all projects is to optimize, transform and operate. Bick explained, “When engaging with a client, we typically begin by analyzing goals, current processes and applications, and then make recommendations about the facility and its systems. It may be sufficient, or it may require change, so we can work with the client on periodic checkups or through transformation and into the ongoing maintenance.” For Bick Group, it is not just about sustaining the client’s facility, but also sustaining the relationship with the client to ensure the facility continues to perform at its optimum potential.

u spring 2009 issue

32