1. Energy Efficiency
- a. Optimising Energy Use: Data centres and IT devices consume vast amounts of energy, making energy efficiency a top priority. Techniques such as server consolidation, energy-efficient hardware, and power management can significantly reduce carbon emissions.
- b. Power-Saving Technologies: Virtualization, cloud computing, and advanced cooling systems such as liquid cooling help maximise the use of IT resources and reduce energy demands.
- c. Transitioning to Renewable Energy: Using renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, or hydroelectric power for IT operations significantly lowers the carbon footprint of IT systems.
2. Responsible IT Asset Management
- a. Lifecycle Extension: Repairing, refurbishing, and reusing IT equipment helps extend its life cycle, reducing the demand for new resources and minimising e-waste.
- b. E-Waste Reduction: Organisations should develop protocols for disposing of e-waste through certified recyclers to ensure that electronic waste is managed responsibly.
- c. Sustainable Procurement: When purchasing hardware and software, organisations should prioritise environmentally friendly products and suppliers with sustainable practices.
3. Sustainable Software Development
- a. Energy-Efficient Software: Developing software optimised for energy efficiency minimises the computational load on hardware, leading to reduced energy consumption.
- b. Sustainable Coding Practices: Writing efficient code with fewer resource-intensive operations can contribute to reduced energy use.
- c. Cloud Computing and Serverless Architectures: Shifting to cloud and serverless architectures can optimise resource use, with cloud providers typically operating more energy-efficient infrastructure than traditional on-premises systems.
4. Cloud Computing and Virtualization
- a. Reducing Hardware Needs: Virtualization allows multiple virtual machines to run on a single physical machine, minimising hardware requirements.
- b. Workload Distribution for Energy Efficiency: Cloud platforms distribute workloads across servers and data centres to optimise energy usage, with some shifting to regions with abundant renewable energy.
- c. Green Cloud Strategies: Cloud providers are increasingly adopting energy-efficient practices, such as using renewable energy to power data centres.
5. Circular Economy in IT
- a. Modular IT Systems: Designing systems with modularity allows for easier repairs and upgrades, reducing the need for new hardware.
- b. Recycling and Refurbishing: A focus on recycling and refurbishing IT assets at the end of their life cycle helps decrease e-waste and the demand for new resources.
- c. Reducing Resource Extraction: Promoting software-defined solutions over hardware-heavy setups can help extend the life of IT infrastructure.
6. Sustainable Data Management
- a. Optimising Data Storage: Efficient data storage management minimises unnecessary replication and optimises systems for energy efficiency.
- b. Data Compression and Deduplication: Reducing the amount of data stored and transmitted through techniques like compression and deduplication lowers energy consumption.
- c. Data Lifecycle Management: Implementing policies to determine when data should be archived or deleted helps reduce unnecessary storage, cutting energy usage.
7. Green Networks and Communication Systems
- a. Energy-Efficient Networking Hardware: Prioritising energy-efficient routers and switches can reduce idle power consumption in IT networks.
- b. Software-Defined Networks (SDN) and Edge Computing: These technologies reduce energy usage by processing data closer to the source of generation, minimising latency and unnecessary data transfers.
- c. Reducing Data Transfers: Optimising data protocols to avoid energy-intensive transfers further decreases the energy footprint of networks.
