In the face of climate change and legislative changes, companies are increasingly required to act sustainably. This means cutting CO2 emissions and using resources more efficiently. A significant but often undervalued lever to help achieve this lies in the field of IT: an approach known as “green IT”. In this whitepaper, we set out how you can take your first steps towards greener IT, where CO2 emissions occur in digital processes – and the commercial benefits you can enjoy by embracing greater sustainability.
Higher efficiency, lower emissions
Our “Greening of IT” whitepaper highlights digital technologies’ potential to promote sustainability
According to a range of studies, IT is responsible for 2.3% to 3.7% of global CO2 emissions. This figure is roughly equivalent to the emissions produced by the shipping industry – and is on the rise. With this in mind, we should not merely see IT as a tool with which to promote sustainability in other areas of business activities (known as “greening by IT”). Instead, there is considerable potential to make improvements in relation to IT hardware, software and infrastructure (known as “greening of IT”).
This whitepaper examines the greening of IT from a number of different perspectives. While it considers how companies use IT, its scope also covers the entire IT value chain and the whole hardware life cycle, from manufacturing through to recycling. This is because Scope 3 emissions – from the broader supply chain – are an important factor when calculating the carbon footprint of a company’s IT activities.
Discover how hardware, software and IT infrastructure affect sustainability and how you could benefit commercially from the greening of IT. Our experts provide tips on first steps and how to implement a sustainable IT strategy.
Commercial benefits of energy-efficient IT
Greening of IT can help companies to reduce their costs and save money in a variety of ways. Energy-efficient hardware and software make it possible to significantly reduce power consumption and associated costs.
Server virtualization and consolidation and the introduction of cloud computing facilitate more efficient use of IT resources in line with needs, which also results in cost savings. Extending the service life of IT equipment through better maintenance, upgrades and refurbishment can reduce expenditure on new hardware procurement.
In addition, companies can cut their waste disposal costs by implementing recycling programs and reducing their electrical waste.
- What role the manufacturing of end devices plays in CO2 emissions
- How software development can contribute to the greening of IT
- Four quick wins – with specific, practical tips to make IT more sustainable
- How greater sustainability can contribute to commercial success
- Tips for first steps towards more sustainable IT
Calculate and reduce your IT systems’ carbon footprint
Before companies can implement targeted measures to reduce their CO2 emissions, they must firstly calculate the carbon footprint of their IT infrastructure. This means considering the emissions produced in the manufacture of this equipment as well as emissions generated during use. Scope 3 emissions, which are indirectly attributed to a company, are particularly relevant in this context. It is important that companies conduct a precise review of their energy consumption and the hardware they have in use in order to develop a sustainable IT strategy.
Extend the service life of IT equipment
One of the most effective measures to reduce a company’s carbon footprint is extending the service life of IT equipment. This can be achieved through better maintenance, using resource-efficient software, upgrading existing equipment rather than buying new models and making effective repairs. Refurbishment of used equipment also has an important role to play, as this consumes up to 85% less energy than manufacturing new equipment. Not only do these measures reduce electrical waste, they also significantly reduce the CO2 emissions associated with manufacturing.
Efficient IT infrastructure and sustainable software development
Optimizing IT infrastructure, especially at computing centers, can significantly reduce energy consumption along with associated CO2 emissions. Cloud computing and virtualization are key factors in creating an IT landscape that is both efficient and sustainable. In software development, “green coding” and the deployment of resource-efficient programming languages and frameworks can achieve considerable savings. A modular software architecture and well-designed interfaces also help to reduce resource consumption.