HLRS Participates in Baden-Württemberg Sustainability Weeks

Sustainability Day spotlighted how the center has reduced its power consumption, and the importance of efficient programming for reducing energy usage.

On June 21, 2023, the High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS) opened its doors as part of the statewide event Nachhaltigkeitswochen@Hochschulen BaWü 2023. The event offered a chance to learn about sustainability in information technology, and at HLRS in particular. It focused on challenges that the field is facing, and on how HLRS minimizes the environmental impacts resulting from the operation of its large supercomputing systems.

Published

Jul 04, 2023

Categories

Events

Information for Users

Code Optimization

Sustainability & Environment

See all news

As representatives of HLRS explained at the event, the basis for these efforts is its environmental and energy management systems, which are certified under the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, the world’s most stringent standard for environmental management. HLRS is currently the only EMAS certified high-performance computing center. In addition, HLRS is active in research projects that are investigating strategies for saving energy in its system operations. This includes developing plans to reuse the heat that its computers generate to warm other buildings on the University of Stuttgart campus. Visitors could also learn about the many ways in which high-performance computing (HPC) supports the development of more sustainable technologies like wind and water power generation, and how digital twins can support sustainable city planning.

In a lecture titled “How Energy Efficient Software Can Support Sustainable Digitalization,” HLRS research scientist Björn Dick explained the substantial effects of software development on energy usage in HPC systems. His talk also offered strategies for developing programs that consume less energy during their usage.

— Christopher Williams