Sandbox

Green ICT Strategies: Overview

Welcome to COMP 635: Green Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Strategies. Green ICT Strategies is an online course about using computers and telecommunications in a way that maximizes positive environmental benefit with minimum energy and materials use.

The energy efficiency of operating equipment is a major concern of green technology strategies. The embodied energy and lifecycle of the materials used in the design, manufacture, reuse, and recycling of equipment and components are also concerns. Green technology strategies seek to inform accepted management practices to achieve efficient and effective business interaction.

This course is adapted from a course developed by Tom Worthington in Australia. If you are interested, you can view a two-part video overview of the First Global Green ICT Course,"and Understanding Climate Science," presented by Tom Worthington.

You will notice many references to Australian policy and practice. Australian references are prominent for two reasons: first, this course originates from the Australian National University (ANU), and second, the Australian government has taken a relatively aggressive approach to global climate change. Canadian legislation has yet to catch up with that of our Australian counterparts, so referencing Australian “rules” helps both to demonstrate the practicality of policy application and to suggest possible approaches for Canada.

The course has no prescribed text or copyrighted materials, for two reasons. First, the open nature of the course (under a Creative Commons license) allows for reproduction by other institutions without copyright restrictions. This will allow for quicker development of Green ICT courses and faster dissemination of information, which is essential given the global climate situation. Second, from a pedagogical standpoint, the knowledge in this field is developing rapidly, so the body of knowledge is a work in progress. Therefore, this course takes a practitioner’s perspective and helps students develop the ability to find relevant knowledge information sources that will facilitate the adoption of Green ICT practices and influence behaviours within their organizations.

Please read the Course Overview section to review the expectations for this course.

Course Overview - Components Resource

Course Communication

News Forum

Chatroom

Student Lounge Forum

Tools and Resources

Glossary - Green ICT Terminology
Green ICT Strategies Book file
Using Moodle file
Getting Help Resource
Graduate Student Manual file
COMP 635 Syllabus file
Copyright & Credits Resource
Broken Links Full Report Resource

3 May - 9 May

Week 1: Introduction to Green ICT Strategies

Objectives: Understand the environmental, social, and business context for sustainability, and overview the background and boundaries; investigate the principles of environmental sustainability and the science of climate change.

Read Me First: Week 1 Resource
Required Tasks: Week 1 Resource
Workload Expectations Resource
Assessment Resource
Seminar: Week 1 Resource
Discussion Forum: Week 1
Instructor's Message Resource

10 May - 16 May

Week 2: The Global ICT Footprint

Objectives: Estimate the embodied carbon and the footprint from use of telecommunications, data centres, and desktop PCs.

Read Me First: Week 2 Resource
* Required Tasks: Week 2 Resource
* Seminar: Week 2 Resource
* Discussion Forum: Week 2
* SMART 2020: Resource Summary

17 May - 23 May
Week 3: Enabling ICT

Objectives: Investigate how ICT systems can reduce energy and materials use by improving the efficiency of business systems by replacing the movement of goods with information (dematerialization), and by improving the efficiency of machines (smart motor systems), logistics, buildings, and grids.

Read Me First: Week 3 Resource
* Required Tasks: Week 3 Resource
* Seminar: Week 3 Resource
* Discussion Forum: Week 3

24 May - 30 May
Week 4: Energy Saving

Computers and telecommunications equipment contribute about 2% to greenhouse gas emissions. Objective: Look at how data centres and client equipment can be made more energy efficient.

Read Me First: Week 4 Resource
* Required Tasks: Week 4 Resource
* Seminar: Week 4 Resource
* Discussion Forum: Week 4

31 May - 6 June
Week 5: Materials Use

Energy reduction is only part of making a Green ICT system. There is also the issue of use of materials and hazardous substances. Objective: Explore how the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) deals with use of materials.

Read Me First: Week 5 Resource
* Required Tasks: Week 5 Resource
* Seminar: Week 5 Resource
* Discussion Forum: Week 5

7 June - 13 June
Week 6: Methods and Tools

Objective: Investigate the appropriate methods and tools for the planning, development, operation, management, and maintenance of systems for an organization.

Read Me First: Week 6 Resource
* Required Tasks: Week 6 Resource
* Seminar: Week 6 Resource
* Discussion Forum: Week 6
* Assignment 1

14 June - 20 June
Week 7: Business Process Improvement

Objectives: Apply improved ICT technology and practices into organizational processes, strategic planning, and management; incorporate green ICT in the strategic requirements of business; recommend alternative ICT solutions that reduce environmental impact.

Read Me First: Week 7 Resource
* Required Tasks: Week 7 Resource
* Seminar: Week 7 Resource
* Discussion Forum: Week 7

21 June - 27 June
Week 8: Improving Energy Efficiency

Objective: Investigate how to implement and assess data centre efficiency.

Read Me First: Week 8 Resource
* Required Tasks: Week 8 Resource
* Seminar: Week 8 Resource
* Discussion Forum: Week 8

28 June - 4 July
Week 9: Enterprise Architecture

Objectives: Develop sustainability in a systems capability strategy that meets the strategic requirements of the business; incorporate green ICT into the models and plans to drive a strategy forward, taking advantage of opportunities to improve business performance and benefit the environment.

Read Me First: Week 9 Resource
* Required Tasks: Week 9 Resource
* Seminar: Week 9 Resource
* Discussion Forum: Week 9

5 July - 11 July
Week 10: Procurement

In green ICT, much of the environmental benefit comes from selecting the right products and services. How do you ensure that your hardware, software, and services suppliers provide green products? Objective: Write green ICT requirement documents for procurement of products and services.

Read Me First: Week 10 Resource
* Required Tasks: Week 10 Resource
* Seminar: Week 10 Resource
* Discussion Forum: Week 10

12 July - 18 July
Week 11: Energy Star Program and Quality Management

Objective: Ensure that the processes for producing a sustainable product or service will do so to a consistent standard; investigate the fit between green ICT requirements and those of Quality Management systems.

Read Me First: Week 11 Resource
* Required Tasks: Week 11 Resource
* Seminar: Week 11 Resource
* Discussion Forum: Week 11

This week
19 July - 25 July
Week 12: Compliance Audit

Objective: Assess the conformity of systems to environmental standards, such as ISO 14000 series of environment management standards, Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEATTM), and Energy Star Programs.

Read Me First: Week 12 Resource
* Required Tasks: Week 12 Resource
* Seminar: Week 12 Resource
* Discussion Forum: Week 12

26 July - 1 August
Week 13: Review

Objective: Complete your final assignment; debrief your COMP 635 experience, discuss what you have learned in the course, and how you will apply it.

Read Me First/Required Tasks: Week 13 Resource
* Discussion Forum: Week 13
* Assignment 2 ( 2 new 1 draft )

* Student Lounge Forum
*
Tools and Resources
* Glossary - Green ICT Terminology
* Green ICT Strategies Book file
* Using Moodle file
* Getting Help Resource
* Graduate Student Manual file
* COMP 635 Syllabus file
* Copyright & Credits Resource
* Broken Links Full Report Resource

3 May - 9 May
Week 1: Introduction to Green ICT Strategies