Impacts of software and its engineering on the carbon footprint of ICT

Journal Article · Wed Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Environmental Impact Assessment Review

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.EIAR.2014.07.003· OSTI ID:22479736

Kern, Eva ^[1]; Dick, Markus ^[2]; Naumann, Stefan ^[1]; Hiller, Tim ^[1]

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1. Institute for Software Systems, Environmental Campus Birkenfeld, Campusallee, D-55761 Birkenfeld (Germany)
2. Fritz-Wunderlich-Straße 14, D-66869 Kusel (Germany)

The energy consumption of information and communication technology (ICT) is still increasing. Even though several solutions regarding the hardware side of Green IT exist, the software contribution to Green IT is not well investigated. The carbon footprint is one way to rate the environmental impacts of ICT. In order to get an impression of the induced CO{sub 2} emissions of software, we will present a calculation method for the carbon footprint of a software product over its life cycle. We also offer an approach on how to integrate some aspects of carbon footprint calculation into software development processes and discuss impacts and tools regarding this calculation method. We thus show the relevance of energy measurements and the attention to impacts on the carbon footprint by software within Green Software Engineering.

• OSTI ID: 22479736
• Journal Information: Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Vol. 52; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0195-9255
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CALCULATION METHODS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON FOOTPRINT
COMPUTER CODES
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
LIFE CYCLE