AMD Exceeds 5 Year Environmental Goals for Air, Water and Waste
AMD successfully completed its five-year environmental goals spanning 2009 to 2014. At non-manufacturing sites, greenhouse gas emissions declined 24 percent (compared to a 5 percent goal), water use per employee declined 55 percent (compared to a 20 percent goal), and waste diverted from landfills reached 74 percent worldwide (compared to a 70 percent goal).
AMD achieved these results through a variety of methods including consolidating data centers, facility conservation projects, sourcing renewable energy, and employee green team projects. AMD’s data center consolidation project (2012-2014) moved servers to AMD’s LEED™ certified data center in Atlanta, Georgia1, creating one of the largest internal cloud computing infrastructures in the world at the time. The project saved 14,000 megawatts of energy, equivalent to 6,650 metric tons of CO2 emissions, and over $1 million USD in energy costs. Additionally, AMD implemented programs to optimize office space, like adjusting work station layouts and establishing a formal telework program in North America.
Energy, water and waste conservation efforts were implemented at AMD locations around the globe encompassing approximately 125 initiatives in 2014 alone. Taken together, these initiative saved the company ~$6.5 million USD2 in 2014. Examples include collecting and reusing rainwater for irrigation; composting organic waste and reclaiming / recycling materials; and optimizing building equipment and lighting.
In addition to reducing global energy use by 31% since 2009, the company further reduced its environmental footprint by sourcing renewable energy. Since 2009, AMD has bought 358,000 MWh of renewable energy credits (wind), enough to power over 100,000 homes for a year3.
“EPA applauds AMD, a long-standing partner of the Green Power Partnership and Leadership Club member, for sourcing renewable energy since 2000 and powering approximately half of its U.S. operations with clean energy. The company’s green power commitment helps to reduce its climate impacts and provides an excellent example for other organizations,” said Jean Lupinacci, Acting Director of U.S. EPA’s Climate Protection Partnerships Division.
Lastly, AMD’s network of employee Green Teams at nearly 20 locations around the world implemented projects which included encouraging the use of reusable cups, training on sorting organic waste from general waste, and promoting commute alternatives.
