Materials Science & Technolog y Environmental impact of ICT A conceptual framework and some strategic recommendations Prof. Dr. Lorenz M. Hilty Technology and Society Lab (TSL) Technology and Society Lab (TSL) Empa – Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research St. Gallen, Switzerland www.empa.ch/tsl Hilfe2
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Materials Sci ence & Technolog y
Environmental impact of ICTA conceptual framework and some strategic recommendations
Prof. Dr. Lorenz M. HiltyTechnology and Society Lab (TSL)Technology and Society Lab (TSL)Empa – Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and ResearchSt. Gallen, Switzerland
www.empa.ch/tsl
Hilfe2
Dias nummer 1
Hilfe2 Diese Folie enthält zwei Mastergruppen (Master und Titelmaster), welche den Corporate-Design-konformen Auftritt definieren. Der jetzt zugewiesene Empa-Master 1 sieht für die Titelfolie das Empa-Logo vor. Den weiteren Folien ist kein Logo zugewiesen. Für längere Vorträge mitZwischentiteln empfehlen wir, den Folien mit Zwischentiteln den Empa-Master 2 (mit Logo unten rechts) zuzuweisen. Dazu öffnen Sie via Ansicht > Aufgabenbereich > Foliendesign-Entwurfsvorlage rechts die Masterauswahl. Nun markieren Sie im linken Ansichtsfenster die Folien, denen Empa-Master 2 zugewiesen werden soll (mindestens zwei, ansonsten für den ganzen Satz Empa-Master 1 verwendet wird). Weitere Hilfeerhalten Sie bei Monika Ernst, 4995 (Empa, Dübendorf)M. Ernst; 04-02-2005
Materials Sci ence & Technolog yProblem:Problem:Society is overusing the services provided by Nature What is the role of ICT?by Nature What is the role of ICT?
ICT is a necessary ICT is part of theICT is a necessary part of the solution
Materials Sci ence & Technolog ySome Results from LCA StudiesSome Results from LCA Studies
‘Desktop PC Production’ to ‘1 year of use’ is ~ 3:1 forDesktop PC Production to 1 year of use is 3:1 for energy and ~ 6:1 for aggregated environmental impacts under Chinese conditions (Eugster et al. 2007)
The environmental impacts of a 2G mobile phone t k d i t d b th hnetwork are dominated by the use phase
(Scharnhorst et al. 2005)
Recycling of WEEE (e-waste) clearly pays off in environmental terms due to the metals recoveredenvironmental terms due to the metals recovered, saving energy otherwise used for their primary production (Hischier et al. 2005)
Save 3-6% of total energy consumption under EuropeanSave 3 6% of total energy consumption under European conditions by intelligent control of room temperature (IPTS 2004)
Use ICT for demand side management (DSM) by shifting electrical laods to cope with fluctuating energy sources (such as wind and solar power), e.g. for fridges(Stadler et al 2008)(Stadler et al. 2008)
Use ICT as a means to a defined endUse ICT as a means to a defined end.Don’t let your goals be biased by technological products. Be reluctant against technological determinism and techno-paternalism.
Extend the service life of your ICT hardware to an extreme.Each month or year of additional service saves considerable amountsEach month or year of additional service saves considerable amounts of energy and scarce materials.
E l t l f i t l ll b ti d dExplore new styles of virtual collaboration and reducetravel.
Demand and use “green computing” features:Power management, energy-efficient software.
U thi li t l tiUse thin-client solutions.This may save > 50% of the energy in the use phase.
(Fraunhofer UMSICHT, 2008).( , )
Support environmentally conscious behavior of yourSupport environmentally conscious behavior of your employees.Don’t force them to use new software rendering operational hardware obsolete s pport irt al collaborationobsolete; support virtual collaboration.
Implement intelligent room temperature managementImplement intelligent room temperature management.Install IP thermostats and try to use existing information such as room reservations to optimize your HVAC system; it may even make sense t l d d th f t d t
Avoid toxic components.Toxic components of ICT hardware such as lead, mercury, cadmium and brominated flame retardants are the main barrier to efficient recycling.They either cause high costs in formal (industrial) recycling or endanger people and the environment in informal (backyard) g p p ( y )recycling.
Reduce the variety of materials.Most materials used in small portions will not be recoverable
Avoid software-induced hardware obsolescence (SIHO).As a software developer you should be aware that relying on the availability of cheap hardware capacity on the user’s side is ecologically expensive, because it boosts hardware flow.
Avoid ‘unmastered complexity’ (E W Dijkstra)Avoid unmastered complexity (E. W. Dijkstra).Cope with the variety of user needs by conceptual clarity. Even an infinite variety can be generated from a finite set of well-defined
f f fconcepts and principles. If software functionality were presented in an ‘axiomatic’ style instead of an ‘additive’ style, its complexity would be masterable.
Features:Same functionality !Same functionality !Needs only half working memory !Doesn‘t clutter your display with rubbish !Doesn t clutter your display with rubbish !Runs faster even on older processors !Doesn‘t require more disk space than the older version !Doesn‘t require more disk space than the older version !Lets you work much longer with the same battery capacity !
"Minimizing air travel is the only way to reduce the environmental load of a conference significantly.“(p. 553):Hischier, R.; Hilty, L. M.: Environmental Impacts of an I t ti l C f E i t l I t
"The life cycle of electronics has to be improved significantly if we are to avoid an accelerated loss of scarce raw materials and emission of toxics into the environment." (p. 433):Hilt L M El t i W t A E i Ri k?International Conference. Environmental Impact
"ICT has a high potential impact on the rational use of
Hilty L. M.: Electronic Waste – An Emerging Risk? Environmental Impact Assessment Review. Vol. 25, ssue 5, 2005, 431-435 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2005.04.002
heating energy.“ (p. 1628):Hilty, L. M.; Arnfalk, P.; Erdmann, L.; Goodman, J.; Lehmann, M.; Wäger, P.: The Relevance of Information and Communication Technologies for Environmental Sustainability – A Prospective Simulation Study.
“Consumption of scarce raw materials for the production of electronics and the energy consumption of stationary ICT infrastructure may increase sharply.“ (p. 872):Hilty L. M.; Som C.; Köhler A.: Assessing the Human, Social and Environmental Risks of Pervasive Computing.Sustainability A Prospective Simulation Study.
"The environmental impacts of a 2G mobile phone network are dominated by the use phase " (p 560):
Social and Environmental Risks of Pervasive Computing. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment, 10(5) 2004, 853-874 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10807030490513874
"ICT-related decisions under uncertainty should favour lower complexity over higher complexity open standardsnetwork are dominated by the use phase." (p. 560):
Scharnhorst, W.; Althaus, H.-J.; Classen, M.; Jolliet, O.; Hilty, L. M.: The End-of-life Treatment of Second Generation Mobile Phone Networks: Strategies to Reduce the Environmental Impact. Environmental Impact
lower complexity over higher complexity, open standards over proprietary standards, and adapting the technology to humans over adapting humans to the technology.“ (p. 796):Som, C.; Hilty, L. M.; Ruddy, T.: The Precautionary