Suste Tech

Sustainable or green technology is one of the fastest growing sectors of the IT industry. As ICT use accounts for over 2% of total global emissions, it is imperative that its energy requirements for use are examined and effective ways of reducing those requirements are found.

While the principle aim of the SUSTE-TECH project was to improve ICT related energy consumption in UK HEIs by encouraging them to use alternative sustainable ICT equipment, its overarching aims include examining sustainable alternatives in ICT design, manufacture and disposal. The project also intended to look at behavioural change in ICT users as it had previously been reported that ICT users play a significant part in the wastage of electricity, thus creating CO2 unnecessarily.

The procurement of ICT equipment was also examined. Purchasing smaller, more energy efficient, longer lasting ICT equipment and accessories will become mainstream once procurement departments tie in with the University's green policies.

Data and case studies resulting from this and other JISC funded projects provide transferable and reproducible long term sustainable solutions to ICT departments not only in Universities and Colleges but in business and government sectors also.

It was hoped that this program would create not just “once off” datasets of energy reducing results, but provide a platform for long lasting change in how large institutions purchase, use and dispose of their ICT equipment.

Please click here to view the independent Project Evaluation Report on the Suste-Tech project.