I want you to act as if the house is on fire, because it is. (Greta Thunberg)

Digitisation & Green IT

Digitisation and the associated intelligent use of information and communication technologies (ICT) are leading to profound change in all areas of life. Digital products and services are the technical basis for today’s knowledge and information society and, as a field of dynamic innovation, make a decisive contribution to economic development.

The long-term effects of digitisation on the energy consumption and resource requirements of the economy and society are still unclear. The resource requirements for operating the ICT infrastructure have become a significant ecological factor. ICT products often have so-called rebound effects. This means that although products are becoming increasingly efficient, improving efficiency is leading to an increasing use of the products. Used correctly, digitisation can help to substantially reduce the consumption of energy and natural resources.

Borderstep has been researching the resource-efficient use of digital products and services for more than a decade. All facets of the topic are examined, which today is often also referred to as GreenIT. The term refers on the one hand to ICT products whose production, operation and disposal cause less energy and resource consumption (“green in IT”). Of particular importance, however, are digital solutions whose use in all industries and areas of life can reduce resource requirements (“green through IT”).

Please click here for an overview of all ongoing projects in the field of Digitisation & Green IT.