Energy Costs Fastest Rising Expense for SMBs: Survey

ARMONK, — Small and medium-sized businesses around the world have seen energy costs rise faster than healthcare, payroll, rent and equipment, according to an IBM poll released this week. In the U.S., energy costs tied with health care costs for fastest growing expense.

The survey found that most businesses were concerned about the environment and that of those, a majority had already implemented environmental. U.S. Most small businesses were trying to curb energy use through energy efficient lighting retrofits and powering down after hours.

While few had yet to make large capital investments in energy efficiency, a majority are taking a look at greening their IT systems, the survey showed.

Fifty-five percent of small businesses surveyed were taking strides in greening their IT departments. Companies outside the U.S., however, were almost twice as likely to use energy efficiency as criteria for green IT purchases.

U.S. companies need help navigating green IT. More than 40 percent of U.S. small businesses surveyed couldn't say how much their IT systems generated in energy costs, compared to 28 percent of non-U.S. small businesses.

Fifty-five percent of small and medium-sized businesses around the world planned to either buy more energy efficient IT systems, consolidate servers or evaluate their usage.