The energy demand of ICT-Feynmans limit

ICT for Sustainability: An emerging Research Field

Lorenz M. Hilty and Bernard Aebischer
Any theories or actions referring to sustainability should therefore answer Dobsons
(Dobson, A: Environmental Sustainabilities: an analysis and typology. Environ.
Politics 5(3), 401-428 (1996), p.406) principal organizing question, namely:
What is to be sustained?
To make sustainable use of a system S with regard to a function F and a time
horizon L means to use S in a way that does not compromise its ability to fulfill F for
a period L.
System S (resource): information system
Function F (service provided): teaching
Time horizon (L): generations
Def: Making sustainable use of our information systems in order to provide teaching
for present and future generations.
Decoupling and Dematerialization: To make a transition toward sustainable
development possible, we must increase our understanding of technological
substitution and focus on innovation that drives substitution in a
sustainable direction.
Sustainainable HCI: p.17
J. Mankoff et all proposed a characterization of sustainability in interactive
technologies according to the following categories:

Sustainability through design: How can the design of technology and

interactive systems support sustainable lifestyles or promote sustainable
behavior?
Eco-feedback
Sustainability in design: How can technology itself be designed such that its
use is sustainable?

Quotation: environmental sustainability and interaction Mankoff

Distinction between sustainable use and sustainable development
DiSalvo: Mapping the landscape of sustainable HCI-downloaded

Important:
E.M. Huang (Building outwards from sustainable HCI) describes an initial wave of
research in sustainable HCI, having shown that HCI can contribute to solutions to
sustainability challenges, but also that problems of sustainability cannot be
framed purely as problems for HCI or interaction design issues. Based on this, she
proposes building bridges to other fields: to existing bodies of environmental data
(such as LCA data ) and related theories, methods, and models; to environmental
psychology (e.g. . when designing eco-feedback systems); and, last but not least, to
real-world situations such as negotiating with municipality.
Green IS strategy is defined as the organizational perspective on the investment
in, deployment, use and management of information systems (IS) in order to
minimize the environmental impacts of IS, IS enabled products and services, and
business operations
Green IS [] promise a much greater, organizational potential to measure,
monitor, report and reduce the firms environmental footprint, but the
transformation of the business with the help of Green IS requires a holistic long-term
strategy.
(Towards a typology of green IS strategies: insights from case study researchLoeser, Erek, Zarnekow)
ICT for Sustainability (ICT4S):

Sustainability in ICT: Making ICT goods and services more sustainable over
their whole life cycle, mainly by reducing the energy and material flows they
invoke: Green IT
Sustainability by ICT: Creating, enabling, and encouraging sustainable
patterns of production and consumption by means of ICT: Sustainable HCI and
EI.

A matrix of ICT effects, pagina 25

! Sustainable development e termenul clar [p.23], sustainability e cel vag
Substituting immaterial for material: Sprengs triangle
! In broad terms, dematerialization is the aggregate result of many process
optimizations and media substitutions, moderated by rebound effects
The Energy Efficiency Benefits and the Economic Imperative of ICT-Enabled
Systems
-The IEA (International Energy Agency) reports that the annual routine investments
for building industry energy efficiency improvements are up to 300 billion globally in

2011. Energy efficiency upgrades is at a scale that is similar to renewable energy

and fossil fuel power sector investments.
-Without energy efficiency improvements, energy
increased by 93%, over the period 1970 through 2010.

consumption

would

have

-In 2012 Laitner, Partridge and Vittore explored the micro level of energy efficiency
associated with increased adoption of ICT and broadband services at the residential
level. They examined 8 consumer activities enabled by the development of
broadband technology [online education]. The study found the U.S. could generate
an annual net energy savings of about 336 million barrels of oil, equivalent of 2% of
total U.S. energy consumption-p.43
-Global E-sustainability initiative (GeSI): GeSI Smarter 2020 study found that the
total abatement potential of ICT-enabled solutions in 2020 was about 9.1 gigatons
of carbon dioxide equivalent of a savings of about 16.5% of global GHC emissions
by 2020.
-Mechanisms of greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Source GeSI 2012:
Digitalization & dematerialization -0.5 (GtCO2), Data collection&communication-1.5
(GtCO2), System integration-2.4 (GtCO2), Process, activity, functional optimization1.7 (GtCO2)
-Lower energy prices and a positive income effect are likely to follow these energy
efficiency improvements. The rebound effect is likely to be limited to 10%-30% of
the initial energy savings in the short term.-p.46
Actors of innovation in Green IT
-Greening IT is a process required for reducing the consumption of energy and
scarce materials used in IT. Green IT is a factor of innovation which can be
considered as a large potential impacting contributor in terms of employment and
societal improvements.
-Def: Green IT is the effort to reduce resource consumption and environmental
impact in IT. [] Actions can affect the whole life cycle of IT-from construction via
utilization through to disposal.
Rebound effects and ICT: A review of the literature
p.436: The Coal Question, economist William Jevons- Jevons paradox-technology
efficiency gains () actually increased the overall consumption of coal, iron, and
other resources, rather than saving them.
p.437: stereotype rebound: Another psychological rebound effect occurs when
ecotechnologies make consumer feel good and encourage increased consumption
of greener products.

-direct rebound effects: lower energy cost induces price reductions that trigger an
increase in the demand for the cheaper good.
-indirect rebound effect: resource is used more efficiently and its price goes down, in
induces the consumption of other commodities.
-economy-wide rebound effects.
! Smart 2020: underlines that in the case of ICT, prevention of the rebound effect
requires an emission-constraining framework , suggesting that energy efficiency
technologies alone are not enough to foster energy savings [24, p.2].
-Direct rebound effects: p.441: 1990-2005, In Switzerland, the average physical
mass of a mobile phone was reduced by a factor of 4.4, while the total mass of all
phones increased by 8X.
-Indirect rebound effects: e-learning: electronic delivery does not result in a
reduction in energy or CO2 OR Caird et al. [40]-online education did lead to
dematerialization.
-Economy-Wide Rebound Effects
! Conclusion: ! In general terms, an efficiency strategy must always be
accompanied by a sufficiency strategy.
-integrating rebound effects in lifecycle assessments
-Combining technological efficiency measures with pollution capping would create
incentives that would spur demand-side efficiencies, to match those already
realized on the supply side.
-Rebound effects require profound changes in our production systems and
consumption patterns in order to achieve a sustainable transition of human
societies.
The Interdependency of energy, information, and growth
-Energy efficiency innovation almost always includes some co-benefits. In the case
of train engines, smoother traction, faster acceleration, smaller engines etc. were
economically more important to take advantage of than fully exploiting higher
energy efficiency. Generally, co-benefits of energy efficiency innovation, like
reduced cost and higher convenience (e.g. time saving for the user) are
economically attractive and will often generate economic growth.
-More often than not, as with ICT in the textile industry or power electronics, the
energy efficiency effect, clearly evident at the lvl of one application, does not lead
to energy conservation on the macroeconomic level. Energy conservation is a
cultural achievement, but is not natural to us (Westerners), it requires valuing

leisure, where as energy efficiency often increases without special effort and does
not necessarily lead to energy conservation.
!!! If time (an important fraction of labor) and cumulated time (an important
function of capital) cost more than energy (and other natural resources) and if
consumer preferences remain unchanged the more ICT leads over to:
-

No energy conservation, but instead to

Time savings, faster production and economic growth,
i.e. higher labor and capital productivity (likely more unemployment and
cheaper products).

ICT could easily lead to more sustainability, if

-

Leisure
Quality of products and services and
Energy as well as other natural resources would be more highly valuated.

Dematerialization through electronic media:

-Using the example of a daily newspaper, printed versions generally result in higher
environmental impacts than the electronic version [p.409].
-The environmental impact of an electronic version may come close or even be
larger than those of the printed version, at least if the online newspaper is read
from a desktop computer.
-news paper+ large audience+tablet-> electronic media good
-tablet + large number of booksread->electronic media good
-Even with increasingly energy-efficiency devices, it is clear that considerable
substitution is necessary to gain benefits, as well as increased utilization of devices
over their lifetime and a decrease of the fast obsolescence of ICT gadgets.
-Electronic media is not a straightforward solution for dematerialization, but it can
facilitate it if its potential is actively sought and unleashed.
Gamification and sustainable consumption; overcoming the limitations of
persuasive technologies [PSS-Persuasive Sustainability Systems]
-PSS tend to persuade consumers to change their behavior in order to achieve a
specific system goal. Whereas eco-feedback systems have the character of raising
awareness.
-Within the design structure of PT-based approaches (Persuasive technologies),
while focusing on measurable aspects of sustainability and assuming consumers are
purely rationally motivated, it makes sense to consider consumers as uniform
agents. However, ignoring the complex interaction between the individual, group &

society locks out major consumer segments and may not lead to solutions that can
sustain motivation over a long period-> p.373
-PT-based approaches are typically designed following the parading that raising
awareness and changing attitudes are the main drivers for behavior change.
Empirical results suggest that some behaviors are induced neither by attitude nor
intention; A too narrow focus on awareness and attitude, misses the power on
consumers decisions deriving from a broad field of various influences. ->
communities, major corporations, rules and regulations.
-> PT persuades people rather than creating opportunities for negotiation, reflection
and self-conviction.
->Gamification [in the area of motivating &engaging consumers]: the goal of
gamification in this area is to engage consumers in the process of developing their
own beliefs, and it does this by the process of using game thinking&game
mechanisms-p. 375
The motivational power of games: Flow; Player types; Model of Skill&Acquisition;
Cooperation &Competition; Learning.
-Flow: Expresses a state of being completely absorbed in what one does.
Requirements for a Gamification Based Approach to Sustainable Consumption: 1.
Respecting consumers as individuals; 2. Respecting the consumers autonomy; 3.
Introducing the social level; 4. Enabling Collective Action; p.382 concluzie bulleturi
Toward the next generation of corporate environmental management
information systems: What is still missing?
Emissions, energy, waste and material flows are the most frequently mentioned
objects of EMIS/CEMIS.
!!! Lack of integrating CEMIS with accounting and production.
110 software products: - environmental and environmental law databases;
environmental management-60%; environmental accounting, and material flow
analysis & compliance management.
An IS Supporting Cap and Trade in Organizations:
-The Cap and Trade principle introduced as an instrument of climate policy can be
applied at the intra-organizational level when an organization decides to limit or
reduce the emissions caused by its activities.
-Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is absolutely essential-one possible tool for
accomplishing this task is emission trading.

-2005-EU launched EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS).

-the price is 5 euros per ton of CO2/February 2014, which does not provide a
financial incentive to reduce CO2 emissions.
-!!! Tradable units could be greenhouse gas emission permits as well as rights to use
scarce goods, such as parking spaces or conference rooms.
Addressing the obsolescence of end-user devices: approaches from the
field of Sustainable HCI
- Blevis [2007]: Obsolescence can be addressed if things are designed and
constructed with sufficient quality and modularity.
-Sustainability through design: eco-feedback
-Sustainability in design: strives to reduce the material effect of hardware or
software. (sustainability interaction design)
Sustainability interaction design: If things are designed and constructed with
sufficient quality and modularity, people may be inclined to look after them and
selectively update them, creating the effect of achieving longevity of use.
Re-use: renewable HCI/
materials, augmentation.

Re-use:

Transferability,

Repair,

Re-use

of

! Similarly, Hanks et al. [15] argue that some people prefer longevity of use for
devices, fully aware of and making reference to the environmental concerns
connected with rapid replacement. The combination of awareness of longevity and
incentives [often intangible, almost metaphysical] can lead to a strong appeal of
longevity.
Longevity: Longevity of functionality and Intrinsec motivation for longevity
The transition from desktop computers to tablets: A model for increasing
resource efficiency?
Database for LCA: Ecoinvent
The shift from desktop computers to tablet computers. Hence, taking a global view
of sustainability: the question is which effect actually predominates: the increase in
efficiency induced by emergence of new technologies or the growing energy
consumption due to the increased number of devices combined with a higher
utilization rate of the devices by individual users.
Conclusion: the smaller the device, the smaller the contribution of the impact due to
the active use of the device.

The higher efficiency of individual devices is fully compensated by the production

efforts for all additional devices in use.
! One conclusion from these investigations is that the number of ICT devices in use
should be kept as small as possible.
All in all, from the sustainability perspective the results presented in this chapter
clearly indicate that the increasing number of devices combined with their higher
utilization rate overcompensate the ecological gains from size reduction in ICT
hardware components for the moment.
Recycling of ICT equipment in industrialized and developing countries:
Based on the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), industrialized
countries have legislated WEEE (Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment)
management.
! one of the earliest legislative frameworks is the Swiss Ordinance on the
Return, Taking Back and Disposal of Electronic and Electrical Equipment
(ORDEE).
Higher collection rates need to be achieved in combination with improved recycling
rates.
Sustainable software engineering: process&quality models, life cycle and
social aspects
-To date few studies have been conducted about the energy saving potential of
software itself. Therefore, it is important to investigate the meaning of sustainable
software and sustainable software engineering.
Sustainable software: as software whose development, deployment and usage
results in minimal direct and indirect negative impacts or even positive impacts on
the economy, society, human beings, and the environment.
Sustainable software engineering: the art of developing sustainable software
through a sustainable software engineering process.
Amsel et al. [6] assert that sustainable software engineering should develop
software that meets the needs of users while reducing environmental impacts.
Based on the lifecycle of software, Taina proposes metrics [11] and a method to
calculate softwares carbon footprint. [12]-> other bookmarks
Lani et al. [2] define software sustainability from a process-centric perspective. They
also distinguish between the sustainability factors power, paper and fuel
consumption.
Social aspects are neglected so far.
3 models that can be enhanced:

->Fig. 2: Quality model for sustainable software-p.195

->Fig. 1: The Green software reference model-p.193
-> A model for environmentally sustainable IS Development
Grey energy and environmental impacts of ICT Hardware:
-1990s the LCA method is standardized as the ISO 14040 series
-The results demonstrate at the same time that the technological shift towards
distributing computing with low power user devices (e.g. tablet computers)
connected to server systems as part of the cloud presents a form of burdenshifting away from manufacturing and the use phase of the end-user device, and
toward internet and data centers.