California, much like the U.S. Federal Government, is looking to streamline its data center operations and cut energy use. How? One way the state is accomplishing it, well the latter at least, is by installing RFID-equipped temperature control systems.

According to this report in RFID Journal, California’s Department of General Services is installing Federspiel Controls‘ DASH system, which uses RFID tags and sensors from Dust Networks in 12 of the state’s data centers. The move comes after the Franchise Tax Board’s implementation helped the agency slash energy consumption in its 10,000 square foot data center from 59 kilowatts to a mere 15 kilowatts and save it an estimated $42,700 per year. This allowed operators to fine tune cooling by analyzing data generated by temperature sensors installed in server racks and attached to Dust Networks’ RFID tags, which in turn, transmit data to DASH. Instead of blasting the entire facility with super-cold air, DASH system can take measures like automatically lowering fan speeds and reduce cooling output. Conversely, if things get toasty, the system will automatically increase cooling and alert staff to potential problems.

If government agencies, typically the most bureaucratic and slowest to adopt game-changing tech, can get behind sensor-based temperature control platforms, there’s little excuse for corporations to keep their data centers meat locker cold.

Image Credit: Coolcaesar – CC