The JISC ECCILES project aims to find new solutions to the problems of power consumption and heat control in computer classrooms and server rooms using a systematic approach to  innovation called TRIZ.

The ECCILES project focuses on the University of Bolton's Deane site. Here, there is  a high density of computer classrooms with high spec workstations; 200 academic and support staff; and a medium size  server room with 30 servers. The site accounts for 46% of the total electricity usage at the University.

The main part of the site is a 1960's two storey steel frame building that links to a modern design studio building. The construction of the building and the density of computers leads to the problem of heat build up in some computer classrooms.

From 2008 the University expects costs of electricity it buys to increase by 80%, but has limited capital to apply to energy reduction projects. The ECCILES project therefore has two strands

1. To find cost effective methods to reduce and control the energy consumption from the use of computers at Deane
2. To find cost effective solutions to improving the temperature control in computer classrooms and server rooms using the least energy possible.  

 
The project uses the principles of TRIZ and Darrell Mann's Systematic Innovation tools to carry out a deep assessment and refinement the problems and use TRIZ principles to generate alternative solutions which can then be evaluated for their feasibility, including cost effectiveness.
The project will engage the staff, students and researcher communities at  Deane in looking at the problem as users and as an opportunity to apply their own expertise and knowledge.