Green ICT Assessment for Organisations

Authors

  • Albert Hankel Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Computer Science, De Boelelaan 1018a, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • Gaston Heimeriks Utrecht University, Department of Innovation Studies, Copernicus Institute, Heidelberglaan 2, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
  • Patricia Lago Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Computer Science, De Boelelaan 1018a, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13052/jicts2245-800X.421

Keywords:

Green ICT, ICT for Sustainability, Green IS, Maturity Model, Assessment

Abstract

This study shows how a maturity model on Green ICT can help organisations become more environmentally sustainable in a structured and efficient manner. For this we have used the SURF Green ICT Maturity Model and facilitated the use of this model in four organisations. These organisations participated in a maturity scan, an evaluation session to discuss the results of the scan and a questionnaire on the use of the model. The results show that the model delivers specific suggestions for improvement both on reducing the environmental footprint of ICT and on using ICT as a green solution for business processes. Individual participants reported an increase in awareness on what Green ICT can do.We also looked at whether organisations were ready to use Green ICT and identified potential bottlenecks for further adoption and it was possible to identify such bottlenecks using the results of the maturity scan.

 

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Author Biographies

Albert Hankel, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Computer Science, De Boelelaan 1018a, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

A. Hankel is product manager and project manager at SURFnet, the Dutch National Research and Education Network, and worked on sustainability projects since 2009. These projects range from auditing the energy use of the SURFnet network and office; publishing white papers and guides on Green ICT; to stimulating Green ICT communities. In 2012 he joined the GÉANT Green Team where he collaborates on Green ICT projects with other NRENs in Europe. Albert started working at SURFnet in 2007 after obtaining his Master of Science degree in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Groningen. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the VU University Amsterdam on Green ICT and how organisations can make use of Green ICT. In his research he developed the SURF Green ICT Maturity Model which is designed in such a way that organisations can efficiently assess their current use of Green ICT and generate suggestions for improvements.

Gaston Heimeriks, Utrecht University, Department of Innovation Studies, Copernicus Institute, Heidelberglaan 2, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands

G. Heimeriks is Assistant Professor at the Department of Innovation Studies, Copernicus Institute, Utrecht University. An interdisciplinary academic by choice, Heimeriks’ efforts focus on understanding the complex dynamics arising from the co-evolution of knowledge, economy and societal institutions. He has many years of experience as a researcher and policy adviser on science, technology and innovation. A common theme in his work is the understanding and governance of scientific, technological and social change in the knowledge society. He has published on topics such as the evolution of knowledge, foresight, ICT methodologies, indicators, new modes of knowledge production and research policy. Gaston Heimeriks has a background in biochemistry (M.Sc.) and in science and technology studies (M.A.) He previously worked as a researcher at the University of Amsterdam and the Dutch Royal Academy of Sciences on European projects dealing with the influence of ICT on the development of the science-technology-economy system. His research resulted in a Ph.D. at the University of Amsterdam in 2005. Gaston also worked at the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) in Seville, one of the seven scientific institutes of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, for the Dutch Advisory Council for Science and Technology Policy (AWT) and as a senior researcher at STePS Twente.

Patricia Lago, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Computer Science, De Boelelaan 1018a, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

P. Lago is professor at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where she leads the Software and Services research group in the Computer Science Department. Her passion in research is to create software engineering knowledge that makes software better, smarter, and more sustainable. Her philosophy is that research should be industrial-relevant and serve the final purpose of being applied in practice. To this end, her research specifically focuses on the ‘real’ needs of practice by establishing collaboration with partners from both private and public sectors. She has a Ph.D. in Control and Computer Engineering from Politecnico di Torino and a Master in Computer Science from the University of Pisa, both in Italy. She is member of the Steering Committees of IEEE/IFIP ICSA, ECSA and the ICT4S conference series, member of the IFIP 2.10 Working group on Software Architecture, the IFIP 2.14 Working group on Services-based Systems, and the Dutch Knowledge Network on Green Software. She has published in all major conferences and journals of her field. Her research and teaching are about software architecture, software design and modeling, software quality assessment and software sustainability. She is initiator and coordinator of the Computer Science Master Track in Software Engineering and Green IT. She co-founded the Green Lab, a place where researchers, students and companies collaborate to measure the energy footprint of software solutions. More information online at www.cs.vu.nl/patricia and www.s2group.cs.vu.nl.

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Published

2017-03-10

How to Cite

Hankel, A. ., Heimeriks, G. ., & Lago, P. . (2017). Green ICT Assessment for Organisations. Journal of ICT Standardization, 4(2), 87–110. https://doi.org/10.13052/jicts2245-800X.421

Issue

2016: Vol 4 Iss 2

Section

Articles