The environmentally-friendly demands of businesses could see more IT contractors installing unified communications (UC) for employers.

Green IT demands will be a major driver for adopting UC because of the benefits to an organisation, according to Frost & Sullivan.

The opportunity to conduct meetings virtually rather than in person is seen as the particularly appealing, both in terms of reducing expense and cutting down on CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions.

Analysis by the firm indicates that the web conferencing services market in Europe grew by 19.3 per cent in 2009.

Commenting on the findings, Frost & Sullivan industry analyst Dorota Oviedo said: "A green IT strategy is becoming a necessity for organisations in both public and private sectors.

"Businesses are beginning to respond to the impacts of climate change and increasing energy costs by taking action to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions."

Earlier this week, National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts underlined the importance of new technology for driving high-tech economic growth and recovery, following the recession.