It is quite common to see IT services being sold on the basis of unlimited supply of some resource – the current favourite seems to be email storage. At last, an end to the inconvenience of being barred from sending new email unless your stored email remains below some level, which is arbitrary and clearly insufficient for your needs. Of course, the “inbox full” popup always appears at the most inconvenient time, so what could be better than providing more space, keeping everyone happy. In a world of unlimited storage, where the cost per byte of storage is so low, what other solution could make sense? (more…)

One question we have asked ourselves – and have heard from others – is whether there is a need for Green IT specialists, or whether it is either part of a more general “environmental” brief or, alternatively whether energy efficient IT is just something we should do as part of our normal activity. (more…)

First, an introduction, I am Professor in Mobile and Converging Technologies. I have spent much of my academic career researching and teaching computer networks and performance measurement. I go along with Lord Kelvin’s view that measuring anything adds to our knowledge about that thing, and therefore my work aims to produce data and information to add to our awareness of systems and their behaviour.

About 5 years ago, these interests and my work in computer network management developed into a belief that one of the “things” we should start to measure was the energy consumption of our computer systems. From initial readings of books like Kuehr & Williams, Computers and the Environment, (published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 2003) I developed a view that this should form part of our academic curriculum. Late in 2005, I presented an internal seminar to colleagues at the University on the subject. The conclusion of which was “we should create a course or part of a course on this subject.”

We then ran a number of projects as part of our undergraduate courses, and 3 years later, in 2008, validated our MSc in Green Computing which accepted its first students in October 2009.

Alongside this, the projects have continued with undergraduate projects in low-cost low-energy Wireless LAN, Portable servers, thin client evaluation and an IT energy saving advisory team; with funded project developing both the wireless LAN and the thin client work; PhD work in cloud computing, network management in a power-saving network environment and efficiency of security for mobile devices. I have also worked on developing our Green IT strategy and undertaken consultancy on energy-saving IT matters. Other ideas will follow as they are developed.

In starting this blog, I hope to share the ideas and enthusiasm for the subject, and to widen the discussion about Green IT related matters.

Green IT has joined with JISC to present the Greening ICT programme for UK higher and further education to reduce the large carbon footprint. It is estimated that in the sector there are one and a half million computers, 250,000 printers and 240,000 servers which collectively produce 500,000 tonnes of CO2 a year and in 2009 cost the sector around £116m in OCT related electricity bills.

Professor Colin Pattinson will be heading up the programme to investigate the environmental impacts of ICT. The whole lifecycle of ICT procurement and use consumes energy and resources both in manufacture and transportation to end users, and more in disposal - which itself can leave a legacy of waste, some of it toxic.

To find out more about the programme and the Green IT network, visit the website here.

Green IT is gaining momentum, and already organisations are reporting a skills gap around areas such as the implementation of virtualisation and the building of a Green IT infrastructure. In response to the growing discussion facing Green IT, Old Broadcasting House hosted a Green IT mini conference on Monday 18th January. The day included guest speakers from Helen Harrop (Digital 20/20), Colin Coghill (formerly University of Leeds) and Leeds Met’s Innovation North Professor Colin Pattinson. The three main questions posed were, what does “green” really mean? Why be Green? How to be Green? Each was discussed in 15 minute presentations and a debate with the speaker panel. (more…)

What does “Green” really mean? Why be Green? How to be Green? On Monday 18th January from 10am to 4pm, these three main issues will be addressed at the Green Computing ‘Mini-Conference’ that will be held at Old Broadcasting House. (more…)

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