Not only did Avaya and Bell Canada work together for Bell's deployment of the first all-IP converged network at an Olympic Games, we also worked together to earn a collaborative Sustainability Star for the deployment and innovation of the all-IP (internet protocol) communication network for the 2010 and Paralympic Winter Games. This deployment embodies sustainability, both environmentally, via low energy operation and safe disposal at end-of-life, and economically, through efficient use of resources.
Sustainability has been a massive component of the work put forth to bring the Games to fruition, and is a core value for the Organizing Committee and so many of the partners/sponsors/suppliers that are privileged to be part of these Olympiad, such as Avaya. So, what is a sustainability star? The Sustainably Star program was created to recognize the innovative efforts Vancouver 2010 and its many partners and sponsors are taking to be sustainable.
Stages of Network Sustainability
Here are the aspects of the IP network that were recognized for this Sustainability Star.
- Design: design teams are dedicated to ensuring that the products and solutions being deployed for the 2010 Olympic Games comply with environmental regulations and requirements, such as those originating from legislative bodies and customer requirements.
- Deployment: The VANOC network, delivered by Bell Canada using Avaya equipment, will be the first-ever Olympic all-IP converged network. This Olympic network will route the myriad forms of Games-times communication (such as voice and data) over networks that use the more flexible and sophisticated switching technology. This network will leverage equipment and solutions to meet the Games' reliability and bandwidth demands. From a sustainability perspective, a converged network requires less equipment to deliver equivalent or superior performance.
- Disposal: We are proud that the majority of the equipment utilized in the Olympic Games will be reused and/or recycled via best practice e-waste disposal systems.
Sustainability Star overview
The Sustainability Star is designed to draw attention to Games-related sustainability innovations -- which are environmental, economic and social in nature. "The Sustainability Star program has been created to recognize our partners who have demonstrated excellence in rising to the challenge of creating projects with positive and measurable social, economic and environmental assets that are new to the Games or Host Region," said Ann Duffy, VANOC's corporate sustainability officer. "We're continuing to work towards improving the sustainability performance of the Olympic and Paralympic Games by leaving a living legacy that continues long after the Games here are done."
Star criteria
To qualify for use of the Sustainability Star an innovation must:
- demonstrate two or more sustainability features (a notable social, economic and/or environmental benefit)
- be directly linked to the 2010 Winter Games
- produce a measurable outcome
- meet one or more of the following:
- new to the 2010 Winter Games region
- new to the Olympic or Paralympic Games
- significantly scaled up through the 2010 Winter Games and/or
- unique collaborations were created to introduce the innovation
Comments
Avaya's work with Bell Canada to support the Olympics AND save energy while delivering performance is a yardstick of quality. Many of our competitors aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.
Posted 18 Feb 2010 at 12:59 PM