SUSTAINABLE ICT IN UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES - What is it, and how can we achieve it? Peter James and Lisa Hopkinson

WHY BOTHER? A moral duty - environmental degradation - extreme social exclusion Tangible self interest - rising electricity costs - increasing regulation Intangible self interest - reputation - relevant curricula and research

THE BALANCE SHEET ICT ‘SUPPLY’ - Energy and resource intensive, and polluting, production - (Sometimes) poor working conditions - High energy use in equipment ICT ‘DEMAND’ - Travel substitution - Resource efficiency e.g. admin - Social inclusion - Awareness and information

WHERE DOES THE POWER GO? University of Sheffield - 18% of total non-residential electricity - PCs 48% - Servers18% - High performance computing14% - Imaging10% - Networking 8%

WHAT ARE THE WHOLE LIFE IMPACTS? Materials Manufacture Transport Use Disposal

WHAT CAN WE DO - ADMIN? IT pays the energy bills Better, more widely applied, whole life costing models More cross-functional activity - especially IT and Estates

WHAT CAN WE DO – TECHNICAL? Simple measures - powerdown; lower power devices; grid computing; life extension - print management; easier duplex etc - energy efficient config & eqt in data centres Complex measures - thin client; virtualisation; storage; software

BACKGROUND Higher Education Environmental Performance Improvement - Green Gown Awards - Sustainable IT in Tertiary Education - Strategic review of IT in universities - Identifying & disseminating good practice -

AN INVISIBLE BURDEN ~30 components ~28 kg materials ~35 kg production waste ~32 kg use-related waste assoc. ~end of life

LIFE CYCLE WASTE FROM PCS Source: IVF, Preparatory studies for Eco-design Requirements of Energy Using Products

LIFE CYCLE ENERGY FROM PCS Source: IVF, Preparatory studies for Eco-design Requirements of Energy Using Products

LIFE CYCLE ENERGY OF PRINTERS Source: Franzhofer IZM and PE Europe, Preparatory studies for Eco-design Requirements of EuPs

ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION UK - ICT 10% of total - fastest growing component University of Sheffield - 16% + of electricity - 13% + of carbon emissions High wastage - CPUs 10-20% utilisation - Eqt switched on

WHY IT MATTERS TO FHE Cost - 50 to 100% rise in electricity prices? Carbon - growing regulation - Carbon Reduction Commitment Capacity

The Coal-Powered Computer

PROCUREMENT - REDUCING ENERGY IMPACTS IN USE Fit for purpose – faster, higher spec machines generally use more energy PCs: laptops 50-80% less energy than desktop/CRT; LCD monitor 50% less energy than CRT Imaging: Inkjets less energy than laser; b/w less energy than colour; MFDs less energy than SFDs. Duplex facility essential Consider energy use in idle and standby Procure the most energy efficient equipment that meets requirements

PROCUREMENT – REDUCING ALL IMPACTS OVER LIFE-CYCLE Dematerialise – smaller, lighter devices: MFDs rather than SFDs; laptops or thin clients rather than desktops; LCDs rather than CRTs Extend useful life of product – recycle internally and refurbish Reduce toxic compounds – as of 1/2/08 all EEE on market should comply with ROHS Facility to return product to producer end of life, free of charge

PROCUREMENT – REDUCING IMPACTS OF PAPER Duplex facility for imaging equipment Built in user codes to record usage Print management software (e.g. GreenPrint) Procure recycled paper (lower embodied energy) and ensure high rates recycling Educate users- review/store online

GREEN DESKTOPS Powerdown networked computers Switch off and power manage computers & peripherals Grid computing Thin client

SERVER END USE Server Load /Computing Operations Cooling Equipment Power Conversions & Distribution 100 Units 33 Units Delivered 35 Units Source: US EPA

SERVER OBJECTIVE Typical PracticeBetter Practice Server Load /Computing Operations Cooling & Power Conversions Server Load /Computing Operations Cooling & Power Conversions Source: US EPA

Server Load/ Computing Operations Cooling Equipment Power Conversion & Distribution Alternative Energy Supply High voltage distribution Use of DC power Highly efficient UPS systems Efficient redundancy strategies Power efficiency & management Consolidation/Virtualisation Information life cycle management Better air management Free/efficient cooling Efficient liquid cooling Flexibility and control On-site renewables Waste heat for cooling Fuel cells Thermal storage ENERGY EFFICIENT SERVERS Adapted from US EPA original

OVERCOMING BARRIERS Lack of awareness and information - footprinting and energy bills Unsupportive financial frameworks - whole life costs Lack of capacity - departmental champions; networks