CS8078 – Green Computing

UNIT: 1

FUNDAMENTALS

Syllabus:

Green IT Fundamentals: Business, IT, and the Environment – Green computing: carbon foot print, scoop
on power – Green IT Strategies: Drivers, Dimensions, and Goals – Environmentally Responsible
Business: Policies, Practices, and Metrics.

INTRODUCTION

An indisputably winning argument behind the implementation of green IT initiatives is based on

business efficiency. This is the same reason why businesses strive to be lean, improve their quality, and
reengineer their processes. Thus, while myriad reasons abound for why an organization should become
green, the one reason that is beyond reproach is that ―a green business is synonymous with an efficient
business.‖ When a reduction in carbon is allied with the economic drivers of a business, the search for
justifying the costs to optimize business processes and virtualized data servers become relatively
straightforward.

Green IT is defined as ― the study and practice of designing, manufacturing, using and disposing
of computers, servers and associated subsystems (such as monitors, printers,storage devices, and
networking and communication systems) efficiently and effectively with minimal or no imoact on the
environment.‖

THE ENVIRONMENT TODAY

As mentioned earlier, whether human activity is the cause of change in the environment or not
becomes a background conversation to improving business and achieving environmental outcomes In the
process. It is this business-driven collaborative path that opens opportunity for corporate action.

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Fig.1.1 information technology influences business, society, and environment – lead up to the sustainable
triangle.

Fig shows that the information technology affects business, which in turn, influences the society
and the overall environment in which the business exists. It in business makes use of massive computing
and networking technologies that require large and dedicated data centers. The location of these data
centers and the people who work in them are all socially affected by this use of IT by business. The direct
influence of IT is seen in the massive proliferation of household gadgets, use of computers in schools and
hospitals, the popularity of social networking, and the high level of communications technology.

A carefully constructed strategy for Green IT is a crucial enabler for an organizations overall transition
toward an environmentally sustainable business.

The following are some of the specific ways in which a comprehensive Green IT strategy is beneficial to
an organization:

 Incorporates environmental issues within the business strategies in way that is

complementary to each other.
 Demonstrates the importance of environmental issues as one of the core business issues
rather than merely good to have add on.
 Explores the possibilities of enhanced green performance to discover and develop new
business opportunities.
 Expands the technologies of business intelligence for the purpose of reducing the
organizations carbon foot print.
 Applies the concept of carbon efficiency to business processes leading up to green
business process management and green process reengineering.
 Develops the idea of the carbon footprint of collaborative business processes that cut
across multiple organizations and approaches to improve that collective carbon footprint.
 Proposes a Green enterprise architecture (GEA) that builds on the technologies of web
services and cloud computing.
 Discusses the importance of people, their attitude, and approaches to Green IT that would
bring about a positive change without condemnation.
 Expands on the role of Green HR including the training and positioning of roles and
responsibilities in the green space.

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 Expands on the vital role of business leadership in bringing about positive green change
across the organization.
 Presents the legal and political aspects the international protocols on greenhouse gases
(GHGs).
 Argues for the use of ISO 14001 family of standard for the environment within the
organization.
 Discusses the metrics and measurements related to carbon data with an aim of
understanding and mitigating the sources of carbon generation within and outside the
organization.
 Incorporates the use of mobile technologies and smart metering for real-time
measurements and use of carbon data.
 Discusses and advises on the use of Carbon Emissions Management Software (CEMS) in
the context of carbon metrics, measurements and reporting.
 Outlines the approach to Green IT audits for reporting and compliance.
 Explores the futuristic issues impacting environmental performance of an organization.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

IT is an inseparable, integral part of modern business. In fact, IT is so closely intertwined with

business processes that is difficult to imagine any modern core business without IT. In addition to being
an integral support to business processes, IT particularly with communications technologies, is a creative
cause for many new and wide-ranging business interactions. The synergy between business and IT
implies that growth in business also implies corresponding growth in IT. This in turn, also implies greater
IT based carbon generation.

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The fig. depict this ongoing interplay between the business and the environment. The IT sheath that
encompasses the business is shown on the left. Any business activity that involves IT and most does
impacts the environment. The carbon impact is shown by an arrow from left to right.

This impact of business activities through IT on the environment has to be understood in three ways:
1.From the length of time

2. The depth of activity from the length of time,

3. The depth of activity, and the breadth of coverage of the carbon effect.

Following are specific areas of IT systems, processes, architecture, and people that impact the
carbon footprint of an organization. These respective IT areas have a dual influence: the increase in
business activities through these packages increases the carbon foot print of the organization, but the
optimization of the business and backend IT servers and networks has the potential to reduce the carbon
footprint of the organization. These IT areas are discussed as follows:

 Software applications and packages: These are the existing ERP/CRM applications
within the organization that need to undergo a major revamp to incorporate green
factors. The carbon data form within the organizations are measured through various
means such as smart meters, are inputted directly by users or updated through interfaces
from other systems. Carbon usage data are then fed into the financial type calculators of
the organization to ascertain the corresponding carbon calculations.
 Carbon trading applications: with potential carbon trading on cards, these
organizational applications will also be geared toward performing analytics on the real
time data that will enable the organization to figure out trends in its own carbon
performance as well as that of the market. Carbon reporting tools will play equally
significant role in the carbon economy.
 Green enterprise architectures: This is the ground-up building of new enterprise
architectures that take a fresh look at the enterprise applications from a green
perspective.
 Green Infrastructure: This is an area of IT that deals with the buildings, data centers,
vehicles, and other non-movable and movable assets of the organization. The design,
development, operations, and decommissioning of these IT and non-IT infrastructure
assets of the organization needs to be investigated.

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 Governance standards (ITIL and CoBIT): the way in which the governance standards
are implemented is also reflective of the organizations carbon initiative.
 People: the attitude of the end users and the extent to which they are trained and
educated in the efficient use of resources, and the feedback provided to them on their
carbon usage is vital in the creation of green IT culture within and around the
organization.
 Dynamic Social Groups: The creation of social groups that reflect their usage and
consumption patterns can lead to not only directed marketing and sales but also help the
organization in its green credentials.
 Wired and Wireless Communication: The way in which various communications
technologies are exploding has connotations from green IT. Thus, the way in which these
wired and wireless networks are configured and deployed will impact the carbon foot
print of the organization.
 Emerging Cloud Technologies: Computing is becoming increasingly decentralized and
having a dedicated data center is no longer the privilege that it used to be. A cloud
essentially enables sharing of large scale storage of data, corresponding computation,
and analysis and reduces overall carbon.
 Green Peripherals: This is the area of printers, copiers, shredders, and similar office
equipment‘s that are associated with IT and that contribute to the overall carbon of the
organization. These peripherals have a substantial impact on the carbon footprint of a
growing organization.
 Renewable Energies: These include alternate sources of clean and green energies such
as solar, wind , and nuclear. These energies will be treated separately in terms of their
costs, and in terms of calculating their carbon contributions.
 Development of efficiency solutions based on IT Systems: These solutions would
include measurement, monitoring, and reporting on energy performance. These solutions
would further monitor and control resource usage and energy consumption.
 Design, Development, and use of power efficiency in IT and Non-IT Hardware: This
would include not only power efficiency in electronic chip designs, but also expansion
into green power grids and management of equipment through software and operating
systems.
 Adherence to regulations and standardization: Includes active participation in creation
of new standards, agreements, and consortium-based protocols.

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 Recycling and Disposal of IT Hardware: This will impact the procurement as well as
disposal aspect of IT that is associated with efficient design of equipment, as well as
ethical disposal of the same when their use is consummated.

The Three Rs of Green IT

Unwanted computers, monitors and other hardware should not be thrown away as rubbish, as they
will then end up in landfills and cause serious environmental problems. Instead, we should refurbish and
reuse them, or dispose them in environmentally sound ways. Reuse, refurbish and recycle are the three
‗Rs‘ of greening unwanted hardware.

Reuse.

Many organizations and individuals buy new computers for each project or once every 2–3 years.
Instead, we should make use of an older computer if it meets our requirements. Otherwise, we should give
it to someone who could use it in another project or unit. By using hardware for a longer period of time,
we can reduce the total environmental footprint caused by computer manufacturing and disposal.

Refurbish.

We can refurbish and upgrade old computers and servers to meet our new requirements. We can
make an old computer and other IT hardware almost new again by reconditioning and replacing some
parts. Rather than buying a new computer to our specifications, we can also buy refurbished IT hardware
in the market. More enterprises are now open to purchasing refurbished IT hardware, and the market for
refurbished equipment is growing. If these options are unsuitable, we can donate the equipment to
charities, schools or someone in need, or we can trade in our computers.

Recycle.

When we cannot refurbish or otherwise reuse computers, we must dispose of them in

environmentally friendly ways by depositing them with recognized electronic recyclers or electronic
waste (e-waste) collectors. E-waste – discarded computers and electronic goods – is one of the fastest-
growing waste types and poses serious environmental problems. The United Nations Environment
Program estimates that 20–50 million tons of e-waste is generated worldwide each year, and this is
increasing. IT hardware contains toxic materials like lead, chromium, cadmium and mercury. If we bury
IT hardware in landfills, toxic materials can leach harmful chemicals into waterways and the
environment. If burned, they release toxic gases into the air we breathe. So if e-waste is not discarded
properly, it can harm the environment and us. Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
regulations aim to reduce the amount of e-waste going to landfills and increase recovery and recycling
rates.

GREEN COMPUTING:

Green computing is the study and practice of designing, manufacturing and using computers,
servers, monitors, printers, storage devices and networking and communications systems efficiently and

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effectively, with zero or minimal impact on the environment. Green IT is also about using IT to support,
assist and leverage other environmental initiatives and to help create green awareness.

Benefits:

Green IT benefits the environment by

 Improving energy efficiency.

 Lowering GHG emissions.
 Using less harmful materials.
 Encouraging reuse and recycling.

To foster green IT – The issues to be concerned

 What are the key environmental impacts arising from IT?

 What are the major environmental IT issues that we must address?
 How can we make our IT infrastructure, products, services, operations, applications and practices
environmentally sound?
 What are the regulations or standards with which we need to comply?
 How can IT assist businesses and society at large in their efforts to improve our environmental
sustainability?

Environmental Concerns and Sustainable Development

Numerous scientific studies and reports offer evidence of climate change and its potential harmful
effects. Specifically, the growing accumulation of GHGs is changing the world‘s climate and weather
patterns, creating droughts in some countries and floods in others and pushing global temperatures slowly
higher, posing serious worldwide problems. Global data show that storms, droughts and other weather-
related disasters are growing more severe and frequent.

Global warming can occur from a variety of causes, both natural and human induced. In common
usage, however, global warming often refers to warming that can occur due to increased GHG emissions
from human activities which trap heat that would otherwise escape from Earth. This phenomenon is
called the greenhouse effect.

The most significant constituents of GHG are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrous oxide and
chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gases. Electricity is a major source of GHGs as it is generated by burning coal
or oil, which releases CO2 into the atmosphere. Reducing electric power consumption is a key to reducing
CO2 emissions and their impacts on our environment and global warming.

Why Should You Go Green?

The reasons for going green are manifold:

 Increasing energy consumption and energy prices,

 Growing consumer interest in environmentally friendly goods and services,
 Higher expectations by the public on enterprises‘

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 Environmental responsibilities and emerging stricter regulatory and compliance requirements.

CARBON FOOT PRINT:

A carbon footprint is defined as: The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and
indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). In few
organizations, carbon footprint might mean that everything is tallied—sourcing materials, manufacturing,
distribution, use, disposal, and so forth.

The amount of greenhouse gases and specifically carbon dioxide emitted by something
(such as a person's activities or a product's manufacture and transport) during a given period.

For measuring carbon footprint we require to track lot of information such as:

 Facilities
 Operations
 Transportation
 Travel
 Purchases

Measuring Carbon Foot Print:

Step 1: Define the boundary for your carbon footprint:

We need to monitor the carbon footprint process year by year, so it is very important to have
some rules to follow about scope of work to be done. Our primary objective is to reduce the emission of
carbon, if we fail to define the carbon footprint boundary can inhibit comparisons against benchmarks and
could also undermine meaningful monitoring of performance.

There are three types of boundaries:

 Type 1: Operational control: Using this approach every operation of our organization/company
is captured in the carbon footprint. This also includes supply chain if an organization has
sufficient operational control over suppliers.
 Type 2: Financial control: In this approach all financial elements are included. Often this
excludes elements which our company may operate but not financially control and therefore
using this approach can result in a smaller carbon footprint.

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 Type 3: Equity control: This approach includes all elements that our company owns. If our
company has part ownership then the proportion ownership is used to calculate the relevant
carbon footprint attributable to that company.

Step 2: Decide which emissions will be included under scope:

Scope refers to the emission types captured in a carbon footprint. The scope of an organization‘s
carbon footprint also breaks down into three components.

 Scope 1 emissions: These are direct emissions from assets that are either owned by our company
(i.e. fleet vehicle emissions from the consumption of fuel) or emissions produced through an on-
site activity (i.e., emissions from the burning of natural gas in a company‘s boiler).
 Scope 2 emissions: Scope 2 covers all indirect emissions or more specifically emissions derived
from the production of purchased electricity. Here company hasn‘t actually produced the
emissions associated with electricity generation but due to the consumption of electricity to
power lights, equipment etc. we can say that our organization is indirectly responsible for these
emissions.
 Scope 3 emissions: Scope 3 covers all other indirect emissions which are not as a result of the
consumption of purchased electricity. This includes a wide array of emission sources including
waste, consumables, staff commute, supply chain emissions, water use etc.

Step 3: Define your carbon footprint period:

A carbon footprint is typically measured across an annual period. When choosing our period for
measurement it is best to think of other reporting cycles which can be used as the set time-frame

Step 4: Use a practical approach to collect annual data:

Once we have defined our boundary and the type of emissions we are going to capture, we‘ll then
need to collect data on all elements that we are going to measure carbon emissions for (i.e. electricity and
gas usage, vehicle mileage, waste volume etc.)

Here are some top tips that can be used:

 Annualize partial data: Data should be for an annual period.

 Use proxies where you don‘t have primary data.
 Use intelligent estimation.

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Step 5: Calculate footprint:

After we have collected all our relevant annual data the task is then relatively simple. You need to
use a carbon footprint calculator or carbon conversion factors to calculate our organizational carbon
footprint.

Need of Carbon Footprint:

Measuring carbon footprint is nothing but it another way to measure overall progress toward
becoming green. It can help with numerous business goals such as:

 Helping company to improve its efficiencies.

 Reducing costs.
 Getting public recognition.
 Maintain link in the supply chain.
 Good impact on customer.

SCOOP ON POWER:

The issue of power consumption is ongoing as we continue to use new machines. The more
power we use, the more money we spend as well as more fossil fuels the local electrical utility has to
burn, thus causing more greenhouse gases to be generated. So saving the power is saving the money as
well as saving the environment.

Desktops:

The power can cab be effectively used in desktop computer by enabling power management
settings. Normally desktop PC requires 85 watts power, even with the monitor off. If that computer is
only in use or idling for 40 hours a week instead of a full 168, much more energy costs will be saved
annually from that workstation alone.

Datacenters:

The increase in servers and network infrastructure has caused a sharp hike in the electrical usage
in the datacenter. Power consumption per rack has risen from 1 kW in 2000 to 8 kW in 2006 and is
expected to top 20 kW in 2010. This increase in energy consumption is not only because of more servers
but also use of additional network infrastructure. A normal 24-port Ethernet switch uses 250 watts of
power on an average. If the electricity generated to power this switch comes from a coal-fired plant, 1,780
pounds of coal are needed to produce the 2,190 kW as shown in next figure.

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Consumption:

It is estimated that datacenters consume 1.5 percent of the nation‘s electrical power and this
number will triple again by 2020, as number users of computers are rapidly increasing. If we do not save
power then we need more power plants to satisfy future needs. Which in turn will increase many million
metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. The EPA (US: Environmental Protection Agency) suggested few
ways for being more energy efficient, ranging from properly organizing physical space to reduce cooling
loads to using energy efficient power supplies. We have to increase the use of energy efficient certified
power supply. It always better if all organizations follow Green IT methodology. We can also follow the
guidelines of EPA.

Green IT Strategies:

An important consideration in developing a green IT strategy is the timeframe of its influence. .

For example, if the organization only views ‗IT as Producer‘ of carbon footprint, then simple measures
like switching off monitors and computers when not in use can be brought about immediately. A more
strategic approach to carbon footprint reduction will involve other measures and take a longer timeframe
to achieve.

Effective green strategies result from an approach that cuts across all the tiers and silos of an
organization. Such strategies come from individual understanding, leadership, vision, knowledge about
the organization‘s structure and dynamics, awareness of the organization‘s operational nuances and
people‘s (i.e. stakeholders‘) attitude toward change.

GREEN IT DRIVERS :

Businesses need compelling reasons to undertake and implement green IT strategies. Business drivers of
green IT can be grouped into six categories .

(i) Costs (including energy costs and operational costs),

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(ii) Regulatory and legal,

(iii) Sociocultural and political,
(iv) New market opportunities,
(v) Enlightened self-interest and
(vi) A responsible business eco-system.

Cost Reduction:

Cost reductions provide an excellent driver for an organization to come up with a comprehensive
green IT strategy. As a result of a green initiative, cost reduction could be derived from minimizing
energy consumption (improving energy efficiency), reducing the use of raw materials and equipment,
recycling equipment and waste and optimizing storage and inventory.

Demands from Legal and Regulatory Requirements:

Government rules and regulations comprise a major driver for many green enterprise
transformation programmes. The relative importance given to the regulatory factor, as compared with
other factors such as organization self-initiation, customer demand and pressure from society, are the
highest – 70% as reported by Regulatory acts such as National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting
(NGER)) and the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) require organizations to mandatorily
report their carbon emissions if they are above a certain threshold level.

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Sociocultural and Political Pressure:

Sociocultural and political pressure becomes major driving forces when an organization‘s society
recognizes the environment as of significant value and is interested in protecting it. Such acceptance of
the environment‘s importance by the society brings pressure on the organization to change.

Enlightened Self-Interest:

Self-interest comes into play when an organization, on its own accord, realizes the need to be and
the benefits of being, environmentally responsible and creates or adopts a green strategy. It may include a
range of interests including the organization‘s desire to undertake a genuine common good, the need of
business leadership to achieve personal satisfaction or maintain or raise employee morale or simply the
decision makers‘ understanding that costs can be reduced and customers more satisfied with a self-interest
approach that also helps the environment.

Collaborative Business Ecosystem:

If a large organization that has myriad different associations with its many collaborating smaller
sized organizations changes its direction and priorities, then those collaborating organizations also have to
change their priorities accordingly. When such a large organization embarks on environmentally
sustainability programmes in a major way encompassing its supply chain, an entire ecosystem made up of
the business partners, suppliers and customers and internal users organizations, together with the industry
and the corresponding business consortiums in which the organization exists, is affected. These various
stakeholders and associations are invariably pushed into implementing environmentally responsible
initiatives and strategies.

New Market Opportunities:

Global environmental awareness, corresponding legislations and sociocultural and political

pressure on businesses have created opportunities for new markets that did exist or were not even
envisaged a few years ago. For instance, these new markets can create and provide products and services
that assist other organizations in achieving their green initiatives and goals. Thus, we are talking about not
only ‗businesses that are green‘ but also ‗green as a business offering‘.

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GREEN IT BUSINESS DIMENSIONS:

Once the drivers that provide the impetus to the business for its green initiatives are identified and
documented, they lead to discussion on the areas of business that are likely to be affected by the changes.
The changes resulting from green IT initiatives transform the organization and, therefore, understanding
them is an integral part of a green IT strategy. An organization changes or transforms along four different
lines or dimensions.

 Economy
 Technical
 Process
 People

Economy:

Economic considerations are one of the key factors in an organization‘s decision to implement
environmental policies and systems. The costs associated with green transformations and the returns on
those costs are the first ones to appear in the minds of leaders and those in charge of the green
transformation. Therefore, this is a primary dimension along which green transformation occurs in an
organization. These include the cost–benefit analysis and a financial return on investment (ROI) analysis.
Economic growth in the current economy is usually associated with increase in carbon emissions.

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Technology:

Technology we mean an organization‘s hardware, network infrastructure, software and

applications. This is also the more ‗popular‘ and visible aspect of green IT. Switching off monitors,
virtualizing servers and eschewing printing on physical paper are the initial, visible aspects of change that
occur along this dimension. This is then followed by long-term strategic change in the way the data centre
is organized and operated. Emerging information technologies, such as service orientation, software as a
service (SaaS) and cloud computing, are creatively used in this dimension to reduce an entire
organization‘s carbon emissions.

Processes:

The process dimension of an organization deals with ‗how‘ things are done within an
organization. Business process reengineering is the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of
business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures of performance
such as cost, quality, service and speed. The process dimension of an organization is perhaps the most
visible one, and it is often used to judge the level of ecological responsibility for an organization‘s green
ICT. This is because the process dimension has immediate and measurable effects on a business
operation‘s carbon footprint. It also has effects on clients, vendors and business partners in the
collaboration.

People:

The most difficult and perhaps most complex dimension of a green enterprise transformation is
people. Whilst the people aspect of an organization‘s behavior has been studied to great depths, in this
discussion the focus is on the attitudes of individuals and the sociocultural setup in which they operate in
the context of the environment. An enterprise-wide green strategy is best driven from the top of the
organization in order to ensure its success. Leadership within this people aspect, such as that by senior
directors and chief officers, is a deciding factor in an environmental initiative. The involvement of senior
management in bringing about a change in the people dimension is vital – and it has to be done at an early
stage of a green initiative, though such involvement from senior leadership requires a substantial
commitment in terms of time, money and other resources. Making the key stakeholders fully aware of the
importance of the green initiative for the organization and, through them, promoting the initiative to bring
about fundamental changes in attitudes are keys to success.

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GREEN IT METRICES AND MEASUREMENTS:

Metrics for green IT performance of an organization can be based internal ROI goals and/or on
legal reporting requirements. Whilst the ISO 14000 series of standards can provide an excellent starting
point for the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for green IT, CEMS can be used to automate, measure
and report on carbon emissions and the carbon footprint.

Following are some typical KPIs that must be embedded in an organization that is undertaking green
strategies.

• Economic outcome.

Reduce energy consumption by 10% of its current level per year for three years; increase green
services (e.g. the addition of one detailed insurance service dedicated to green).

• Technical.

Use virtualized data servers for all warehoused data; use smart meters to record, repost and
control emissions.

• Process.

Optimize supply chain management to reduce or reengineer individual processes.

• People.

Train people for green IT at all levels. Telecommute once a week to reduce emissions.

Carbon metrics coverage:

A carbon intensity (or emissions intensity) is a ratio that reflects the amount of GHG
emissions per unit of energy delivered. This metric reflects the o perational efficiency and
emissions of production processes related to the energy that will be delivered to consumers,
and as such is an important tool in monitoring and assessing the environmental performance
of integrated energy companies and their future strategies.

Carbon intensity metric quantifies the amount of CO 2 equivalent emissions per unit of
energy supplied (gCO 2e/MJ) to the end consumer. Non energy products such as lubricants
and chemicals and corresponding emissions are not included in this metric.

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Green IT Measurement Challenges:

In the past the focus was on computing efficiency and cost associated to IT equipment‘s
and infrastructure services were considered low cost and available. Now infrastructure is
becoming the bottleneck in IT environments and the reason for this shift is due to growing
computing needs, energy cost and global warming. This shift is a great challenge for IT industry.
Therefore now researchers are focusing on the cooling system, power and data center space.
following are few prominent challenges that Green computing is facing today:

1. Equipment power density / Power and cooling capacities;

2. Increase in energy requirements for Data Centers and growing energy cost;

3. Control on increasing requirements of heat removing equipment, which increases because of increase
in total power consumption by IT equipment‘s;

4. Equipment Life cycle management – Cradle to Grave; and

5. Disposal of Electronic Wastes.

Framework for Green IT Metrics:

Green Economy Indicators are key evidence-based instruments which facilitate the evaluation of Green
Economy policies by:

(a) Identifying priority issues;

(b) Formulating and assessing Green Economy policy options; and

(c) Evaluating the performance of policy implementation.

Measuring Carbon Footprint of your Organization:

Carbon footprint is all about carbon (and other GHG) emissions. It isn‘t a measure of use of
natural resources, or the waste a company produces – though those might affect the calculation‘s
results. The real win would be achieving reductions in your absolute total footprint, which means
getting total emissions down even as the business grows. The next best thing is finding ways to reduce
emissions relative to output, so bringing down emissions per product, per employee, or per some unit of
revenue.

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Measuring Operational Cost in your Organization:

If properly followed Green Computing practices can save millions of rupees of an organization.
Ecologically responsible practices must be adopted. For green computing, initial investment will be more,
but eventually not only we will save money but also help to sustain the environment. Many organizations
hesitate for going green because of initial cost. Unless equipment is planned to be replaced or there‘s a
datacenter design in the works, most businesses aren‘t likely to replace their equipment just for the sake
of duty to society. But when the cost of power starts taking a bigger and bigger bite out of the IT budget,
organizations start really looking at green computing nowadays.

ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS:

One of the best ways to make your business more environmentally-friendly is to practice
green procurement. This involves sourcing goods and services that are produced and supplied in a
sustainable fashion. Sourcing from local suppliers rather than those located far away is a good place to
start.

 Are manufactured in a sustainable fashion

 Do not contain toxic materials or ozone-depleting substances
 Can be recycled and/or are produced from recycled materials
 Are made from renewable materials
 Do not make use of excessive packaging
 Are designed to be repairable and not throwaway

Policies in ERBs:

A green policy usually contains the following components:

 A declaration of your company‘s commitment to the environment.

• A concise description of what your company is trying to achieve with your environmental goals and
how you will accomplish your goals.

• A commitment to prevent pollution and to continuously improve environmental performance.

• A commitment to keeping employees and community members safe.

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• A statement of the strategies and actions your business is willing to undertake to meet its
commitments.

Practices in ERBs:

Environmental Practices are defined as those actions that seek to reduce the negative
environmental impact caused by activities and processes through changes and improvements in the
organisation and development of actions. The usefulness of the Good Practices is well proven and lies in
its low cost and simplicity of implementation, as well as the fast results obtained.

The implementation of Good Environmental Practices is assumed by the Foundation and

understood as a whole, committing itself to continuous improvement in its application. From Social
Promotion, this Guide and its implementation are considered as a tool to improve the transparency,
competitiveness and integral development of the beneficiaries of the activities.

This Guide has been developed in six lines of action, as follows:

 Materials.

 Energy.

 Water.

 Waste.

 Transportation.

 Communications.

Lean Impact on Green:

Lean Manufacturing plays an important role in supporting companies to overcome environmental,

social and economic impacts attributed to the production processes, which has been a major concern for
the industrial sector lately. Lean Manufacturing is focused on the reduction of waste and improvement of
operational efficiency using a set of different tools to get these objectives. Many of these tools can be
successfully used in isolation, which makes it much easier to get started, but on the other hand, the
benefits will propagate as more tools are used, as they do support and reinforce each other. The

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combination of lean and green initiatives has been contributing to seek alternatives to support companies
balance efficiency gains and environmental performance in their industrial processes. The lean
philosophy also intends to reduce wastes in all the organizations areas, thus the alignment with the
environmental paradigm seems normal.

Environmental areas covered:

Policies and their practices can be viewed from three different angles—the breadth of coverage, the depth
at which they operate, and the length of time they are influential within the organization.

Breadth of Environmental Policies (Areas Covered):

What is highlighted is the need to consider the overall organization and its entire breadth in terms
of Green IT policy development and implementation. Such consideration will result in appropriate
creation of g green p programs, c corresponding use of a analyzing, modeling, and simulation tools for the
study of environmental risk management and improved accuracy of measurements. The broader is the
coverage of green policies, the better are the organization‘s chances at success.

Depth of Environmental policies (Intensity of Coverage):

A deep practice of policies in large organizations is usually well supported by tools for eco
management, operating on dedicated systems platforms resulting in not only support, but also
measurements and reporting of carbon performance for single and collective business processes. Depth of
coverage for each process includes detailed description, mapping, responsibilities, and execution of roles,

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deliverables, activities, and tasks within the organization. The depth of coverage of green policies also
facilitates audits and feedback to the same process in greater detail.

Length of Environmental Policies (Duration of Coverage):

Green policy formulations require the policy makers to have the ability to look at the future
strategies that make predictions regarding the future of the firm. When incorporating time in policies, it
becomes important to consider the longevity of the firm itself, together with the longevity of the Green IT
initiative. A Green IT can transform the organization, but maintaining that transformed green state over a
period of time is only given due importance when the ―length‖ is considered.

GREEN PRACTICE: A BALANCING ACT

Balancing act, in practice, also requires consideration of the IT versus non-IT assets of the
organization. In developing the green policies and eventually practicing green in a holistic way, the
organization needs to consider Green IT from both IT and non-IT viewpoint. While the overall influence
of IT on the greening effort will vary depending on the type and size of the organization, still
understanding this mix of IT and non-IT assets is important for both policy development and eventual
practice.

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Mobility and Environment:

Mobility has a significant role to play in the reduction of carbon emissions as it has the potential
to offer location independence, that is, reduce the need to t ravel, to most business processes. Some of the
advantages and challenges in the use of mobile technologies in business from the point of view of
environmental sustainability are noted in this discussion.

Advantages to environment:

Mobility offers location independence and personalization, both of which are characteristics that
can be used to optimize business processes and reduce carbon. Therefore, mobile technologies—including
devices, networks, and contents—have a significant role to play in the global carbon reduction effort.

Challenges to Environment:

There are some interesting and unique challenges of mobility when it deals with the environment.
Consider, for example, how mobility enables virtual collaborations between business and individuals.
These virtual collaborations, especially between businesses, can introduce management challenges in
implementing environmentally responsible strategies.

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Relating Environmental Business Policies to Goals:

The importance of policies and their practice is that they enable an organization to achieve its
environmental goals. Therefore, policies need to reflect the green strategies of the organization in this
regards. Policies, in practice, also need to provide help and guidance in terms of prioritizing the actions to
be undertaken by the organization. The following are some of the green policies which enable an
organization to prioritize its environmental goals.

 Energy Consumption
 Energy Efficiency
 Operational Costs
 Operational Reputation
 Environmental Performance
 Green Sustainability
 Increased Revenues

Renewable Energy Resources:

Apart from discussing the policies and practices associated with the organization in its current
state, it is also worth considering the impact of totally different types of energy as is currently consumed
within an organization. For example, if instead of oil or gas, the energy was generated from coal.
Renewable energy certificates are one way for organizations to support green energy. Impact of
renewable sources of energies is usually felt through Government regulatory standards. Government
devises regulatory standards which controls and support the energy providers. Energy providers
implement those standards and as a result, organizations have the opportunity to source from one or more
energy providers.

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Mind Map for the Role of a Chief Green Officer (CGO):

Chief Green Officer (CGO) or the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) is the most senior person in
the organization responsible for green strategies. He/she is responsible for the development and
maintenance for the green policies. The green policy should have the ability to justify the Return of
Investment (ROI). An understanding of this mind map of a CGO can be helpful in setting and directing
the green enterprise transformation of an organization.

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UNIT – 1

FUNDAMENTALS

PART – A (2 MARKS)

1. What is Green Computing?

The study and practice of designing, manufacturing, using and disposing of computing devices,
servers and associated subsystems (such as monitors, printers, or storage devices)efficiently and
effectively with minimal or no impact on the environment.

2. Define Green IT?

 Green IT is the study of using computing resources effectively. It includes,

 Environmental sustainability
 Energy Efficiency
 Cost of Ownership (making, disposal)

3. What is ERBS?

ERBS (Environmentally Responsible Business Strategies). Focus on to achieve a green enterprise

and meet the needs of various stake holders.

4. Define Carbon Foot Print?

A Carbon Foot Print is the amount of greenhouse gases and specifically carbon dioxide emitted
by something during a given period.

5. What is the information required for measuring the carbon foot print?

 Facilities
 Operations
 Transportation
 Travel
 Purchases

6. List out the need for Carbon Footprint?

 Helping company to improve its efficiencies.

 Reducing Costs.
 Getting public Recognition.
 Maintain link in the supply chain.
 Good impact on customer.

7. What are the categories of Green IT Drivers?

I. Costs

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II. Regulatory and legal

III. Sociocultural and Political
IV. New market Opportunities
V. Enlightened self-interest
VI. A responsible business eco-system

8. What are the business dimensions of Green IT?

 Economy
 Technical
 Process
 People

9. What is the purpose of an organization to go green?

 Increasing energy consumption

 Growing consumer interest in environmentally friendly goods and services.
 Higher expectations by the public on enterprises.
 Environmental responsibilities and emerging stricter regulatory and compliance requirements.

10. What are the three Rs of Green IT?

o Reuse
o Refurbish
o Recycle

11. List out the most significant constituents of GHG’s?

Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane, Nitrous Oxide, and Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gases.

12. What are the four dimensions of green Computing Strategies?

o Economic
o People
o Process
o Technology

13. What is Responsible Business Ecosystem (RBE)?

It is a large green organization which focuses on the environment; it consists of three major areas:

o Green processes
o Green data centers
o Green consortiums.

14. List some of the objectives of green business?

o Synergy between core business objectives and green objectives.

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o Identify growth potential.

o Development of green HR

15. Define Green Governance?

Green governance combines EI with lean for data creation and maintenance. It measures the
carbon emission of business.

16. List the situations in which the policies can be made?

I. External pressure (Government)

II. Internal Pressure (Inside Organization)

External

 Government policies
 Society pressure

Internal

 Internal energy consumption.

 Increased carbon footprint.

17. List the 5M’s of Carbon Metrics?

 Measuring
 Monitoring
 Managing
 Mitigating
 Monetizing

18. List some of the green values in practice?

 Computing power management

 Use blank screen saver
 Limited printing
 Reuse and recycle of equipment
 Single machine to worker.

19. What is Green Sustainable Policy?

It is defined as a policy that incorporates a ―green‖ factor that helps business to sustain over a
longer period of time.

20. What are the types of Emissions?

 Scope 1 (direct emission)

 Scope 2 (indirect usage of emissions)

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 Scope 3 (organization supply chain).

21. List the steps in developing an ERBS?

 Green business objectives

 Strategy descriptions
 Policy based pre conditions
 Resource requirements
 Transformation plans.

22. Mention some renewable energy sources to be encorporated with green policies?

 Nuclear
 Thermal
 Wind
 Solar
 Biomass

23. Define Carbon Metrics?

 Measurements eventually provide benchmark at industry levels and vital comparison

statistics.
 Measure through sensors, platforms, inventory and inference methods.

24. List the measures of balanced score card?

 Financial measures.
 Customer measures.
 Internal business processes.
 Learning and growth.

25. What is the role of Chief Green Officer (CGO)?

CGO is the most senior person in the organization responsible for green strategies. He/she is
responsible for the development and maintenance of green policies.

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UNIT – 1

FUNDAMENTALS

PART – B (16 MARKS)

1. Discuss in detail about Green IT fundamentals?

2. Explain in detail about Green IT business and environment ?

3. Discuss in detail about Carbon Footprint?

4. Write about carbon emissions in IT?

5. Write in detail about Green IT strategies?

6. Explain about Green IT Dimensions, Drivers, and Goals?

7. Explain in detail about Environmentally Responsible Business?

8. Explain in detail about policies, practices, and metrics of ERBS?

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UNIT II

GREEN ASSETS AND MODELING

Syllabus

Green Assets: Buildings, Data Centers, Networks, and Devices – Green Business Process
Management: Modeling, Optimization, and Collaboration – Green Enterprise Architecture –
Environmental Intelligence – Green Supply Chains – Green Information Systems: Design and
Development Models.

2.1 GREEN ASSETS:

A green asset produces revenue with the additional aspect of an ability to be renewable. Eg) Solar
Energy, The green assets and infrastructure comprise substantial part of that long-term approach to
managing the carbon performance of the organization. The three major phases or activities associated
with the lifecycle of these assets are depicted as follows:

 The way they are established or procured.

 The manner in which they are operated or run
 The strategies for their disposal or demolishment.

Establish (Procure):

Deals with the green credentials of the asset in terms of its design and development.

Operate (Run):

Manner of operation of the asset has a bearing on the total carbon contribution of the
organization.

Disposal (Demolishment):

This is the eventual phase of an asset and it also impacts the overall carbon footprint of an
organization. This impact is through the organization‘s approach to disposing or demolishing the asset.

fig. Green assets need to be organized in an

efficient way throughout their lifecycle

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Types of Assets (Categories) and Their Impact on the Environment is depicted as follows:

2.1.1 Building and Facility Management:

The physical buildings and facilities belonging to the organization form the core of its
nonmovable assets. Buildings, while usually not a part of IT directly, are still a major contributor to the
organization‘s carbon footprint. The need and demand to consider the carbon issues upfront, during initial
procurement and/or construction of buildings. This forces the construction industry to handle issues such
as the type of insulation used, facilities to recycle water, and the use of natural light in determining the
TCCO (Total Cost of Carbon Ownership) for that building.

2.1.2 Green IT Hardware:

The hardware aspect of Green IT deals with the architecture and design of IT hardware, the
manner in which it is procured and operated. While operational energy consumption is increasingly an

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important issue for computer manufacturers, what is even more interesting is the impact a good, energy
optimum design can have on the overall energy consumed by a piece of hardware over its entire life.
Following is a more detailed description of these IT hardware assets of an organization:

Data servers:

Deals with the physical machines and the specific buildings in which they are housed.

End-user computers:

Laptops, desktops, their capacities, operational efficiencies, and their disposal (especially as the
lifecycle of a computer is getting shorter by the day) need to be discussed from their P-O-D
(Procedure/Operate/Dispose) viewpoint.

Mobile devices:

The mobile devices and associated hardware (e.g., extension leads), their batteries including the
recharging mechanism and disposal of the batteries and the policies and actions when the devices become
outdated.

Peripherals:

Printers, photocopiers, shredders, and so on. These electronic gadgets are of immense interest in
Green IT due to their large numbers, their potentially unnecessary overuse, the operational waste that is
generated as a result(such as paper, ribbons, and ink), and the carbon associated with the eventual
disposal of these fast moving items.

Fig. Range of Green IT hardware generating carbon.

2.1.3 Green Data Centers:

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The demand for data center capacity worldwide has been on the rise. This has also lead to a
steady increase in carbon emissions. Data centers form the major chunk i n the overall Green IT hardware
assets of an organization. They house a suit of large computers and associated networks of the
organization, forming the ―heart‖ of most businesses. Data servers, in practical terms, can be seen as
powerful computers that have the capacity to store as well as process vast amount of multi formatted data.

Fig. Green data center influencing factors.

Specific areas for Green IT with respect to data centers are discussed as follows:

Data center design, layout, and location:

Physical building in which the data center resides. Architecture and design of the building
(physical shape, naturally cooling and ventilation, natural light, ease of access etc.), geographical region
(e.g., locating a data center in Iceland), and the material used in construction of the building (Terracotta
for roofing; painting the roofs white) are all valid considerations here. The size and design of rooms in
which servers are housed and also the location of the server rooms within the data center can play a role
in carbon reduction.

Cooling, air conditioning, power source and power consumption:

This includes the cooling strategies of the servers; and the air conditioning relating to the actual
building.

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Power management—lights and operational aspect:

This would include procurement and installation of green products (such as LED light bulbs) and
use of green services.

Servers their numbers, their positioning and corresponding energy-efficient computing:

Physical location of the racks, t heir positioning (hot isle/cold isle). Architecture and the physical
rooms in which they are placed. Design of each server - water cooled, air cooled, and other efficiencies
are also to be considered.

Data strategy—including security and backup:

Virtualization within each server, and combined virtualization. Virtualization aims to pool
resources together to deliver data center services by pooling resources that may be otherwise
underutilized.

Networks and communications equipment:

Wireless communications such as switchgears, routers, and modems. The numbers and capacities
of these equipment‘s in the data center contribute to its carbon footprint.

2.1.3.1 Data Center Building—Design, Layout, and Location:

Data center buildings are specialized buildings to hold the large computing and communications
equipment‘s of the organization. Following are the specific design, layout, and location consideration for
data centers.

 Physical (geographical) location of the building.

 Building that houses the data center.
 Power supply.
 Cooling and lighting.
 Server and storage virtualization.
 Facilitation of new and emerging technologies.

2.1.3.2 Data Center ICT Equipment—Server Strategies:

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They are housed within the green data center and require specific strategies for positioning, cooling, and
usage. Following are a list of green server strategy considerations that need to be expanded in detail in
practice:

 Online, real-time list of server inventory that enables location and uses of the servers.
 Power consumption bill in real time.
 Mirroring backup strategies that are balanced by the ―acceptable risks‖ of the data center director.
 Data capacity forecasting.
 Carbon-cost visibility.
 Enhanced server distribution.
 Incorporate Cloud computing and server virtualization.

2.1.3.3 Data Strategy and the Carbon Emitting Bit:

Data strategy encompasses the use, storage, mirroring, security, backups, clean ups, and
architectures for data. It covers both external and internal approaches to data management.

Fig. A carbon-emitting bit—repercussions on overall carbon emissions.

2.1.3.4 Data Servers Optimization:

Data server optimization can be improved through better organization of the databases including

their design, provisioning for redundancy, and improved capacity forecasting, following RDBMS

(Relational Database Management Systems) standards such as data normalization and usage of proper

data types within database as and when required.

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2.1.3.5 Data Servers Virtualization:

Data server virtualization, as a key strategy, includes creation of many virtual servers from one
physical server. Virtualization has been popular as efficient hardware resource utilization; however, it
also has significant impact on reducing carbon emissions.

Fig. Data server virtualization.

2.1.3.6 Cloud Computing and Data Centers:

Cloud computing offers the potential for economies of scale that go beyond a single data center
and a single enterprise. This is so because with Cloud computing there is opportunity to not only
consolidate the costs of services but also shift the carbon generation to a relatively centralized place
where it can be better controlled and optimized.

2.1.4 Networking and Communications Infrastructure:

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Networking strategies that are part of information architecture can not only help reduce traffic but
also improve carbon performance. Reduction of communication traffic eventually reduces the server load
minimizing memory and processing time on the server.

Following are the categories of networks that need attention of the network manager in terms of their
carbon connotation.

Local Area Networks (LAN):

Local networks of the organization that are made up of the physical connections amongst the
machines and primarily the data center. Usually, these may be a collection of cables that may have
―grown‖ as the organization grew; lack of planning and architecture for LANs is a major factor in
consuming substantial power and thereby adding to the cooling requirements.

Wide Area Networks (WAN):

The wide area networks of an organization enables communication amongst its desktop and
laptop machines with and beyond its data center. Typically, the WAN comprises use of communication
lines that make up the virtual private network (VPN) of the organization. Such VPN is made up of leased
communications lines which reduce the extent of influence an organization has over its power
consumption and carbon generation.

Mobile Networks:

The Mobile enterprise architecture that can also provide the backdrop for carbon reduction.

Wireless L AN/WAN:

Wireless communication may give the impression of reduced hardware and infrastructure (due to lack of
physical wiring).

WiMax:

WiMax is another mobile standard for point-to-point communication that is based on

radiofrequency standardized technology. WiMax, made up of transceivers to base antennas, need
standards to ensure these networks are switched on-and-off depending on their usage pattern.

2.1.4.1 Devices and Organizational Boundaries for Measurements:

Devices in the Green IT discussion play two roles:

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 Those that emit carbon and

 That which is used to measure, monitors, and mitigates carbon.

The various tools and techniques in carbon measurement are as follows:

 Dashboard displays attached to the devices to display emissions.

 Mobile gadgets attached to devices for measuring emissions.
 Surveys of employees and other stakeholders.
 Inventory of the organization to identify unused goods.
 Interviews of employees and stakeholders to ascertain carbon emissions.

2.2 GREEN BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENT:

Green B PM is an overall approach to modeling, optimizing, consolidating, and executing

business processes of an organization from a carbon perspective. Application of Green B PM results in
improving the ways in which an organization (users and business areas within an organization) undertake
operations. BPM can be understood as a discipline of modeling, realizing, executing, monitoring, and
optimizing business processes.

2.2.1 Green Reengineering:

Reengineering of processes to green processes will incorporate reevaluation of processes and also
an understanding and modeling of their supporting hardware, software, and people in order to cut down
the carbon generated through t hem.

The following figure illustrates the concept of process reengineering in a simple way from a
green perspective.

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Fig. Core concept of GPR—a distribution example.

The following are the steps in terms of Green BPR

Listing:

This is an initial list, which will be refined as this green transformation exercise proceeds. This
list can be created based on the value creation of the organization and which can be categorized into
primary, secondary, or supporting processes based on major functions of the organization such as
production, inventory, supply chain, customer relations, finance, and HR.

Ranking:

Ranking of the processes within the process list can be undertaken based on the carbon criteria.
Thus, while normal BPM exercises list the processes with criteria such as their costs and effectiveness, in
Green BPM, these processes are also ranked based on the amount of estimated carbon they produce.

Modeling:

Process reengineering requires accurate modeling of those processes. If an organization has

already undertaken a BPM exercise, process models for all major processes should be available. If not,
the green transformation project can start by modeling the processes that are ranked high in the previous
step.

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Optimizing:

This step i s the study of the processes that are modeled from t heir carbon impact.

Retaining:

Processes that are modeled and optimized will reduce their carbon contribution.

Removing:

The BPM exercise will also identify processes that are either redundant/duplicated or are so
excessively carbon inefficient that they have to be replaced.

2.2.2 Green BPM and Standards:

Green BPM can be carried out in a number of ways, and using different tools and techniques.

Following are the important aspects of the use of standards in Green BPM:

 TQM, Kaizen, and Six Sigma provide standards and techniques to optimize and improve business
processes.
 Efficient business processes may also create opportunity to produce greater quantity of goods
resulting from improved production capacity.
 Customization and personalization of products to suit the de ands of customers is the result of
process reengineering.
 Reengineering of processes also results in optimizing the internal organizational structure.
 Knowledge management enables keeping track of customer p references.

2.2.3 Green Business Analysis:

Role of a Green BA can provide analytical help and support for green business process modeling.
BA is the role that owns and models the requirements of the project. BA is also responsible for working
with the key business executives and users to determine the goal and expectation of the business process.

2.2.4 Green IT Governance:

Indicates how a governance standard is translated into policies and practices through business
rules. The most commonly used governance standard is the Information Technology Infrastructure
Library (ITIL).

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The context of Green IT process and management is discussed briefly as follows:

 Service Strategy—provides guidance on explanation and prioritization of service provider and

their customers‘ investments in services.
 Service Design—provides guidance on design of new or modified IT services through a
catalogue.
 Service Transition—facilitates transition of a service to the operational area of the business with
environmental considerations inbuilt into them.
 Service Operation—is when the service has become operational and can be called ―Green
Service‖ when the environmental considerations are taken into effect.
 Continual Service Improvement—provides guidance on the things that need to be controlled
and measured for improving service quality, particularly from a green business perspective.

2.2.5 Green Business Processes—Incremental Complexity:

The increasing complexity of these green processes.

Broadcast processes—these are easiest processes to understand, model, and optimize when they are the
one-way broadcast processes typically used by the organization to promote and advertise their products.

Informative processes—the green aspect of this informative category comes from the fact that the
receiver of the output of this informative process is known to the organization.

Transactive processes—typically called the electronic commerce processes requiring a 3-way interaction
between the vendor, the customer, and the payment facility.

Operative processes—these processes are of more complexity and deal with the internal, operational
aspect of the organization.

Collaborative processes—When multiple organizations interact with each other through collaborative
web -based processes, the carbon generation i s not only significant, but also increasingly challenging to
trace because the organizational boundaries of these processes is extremely fuzzy.

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Fig. Increasing complexity of green processes.

2.2.6 Green Mobile Business Processes:

The way in which mobile green processes are enacted by incorporation of mobility in to the
business processes is also based on the increasing complexities of the processes as was discussed earlier.
An understanding of this increasing complexity also provides opportunity, through the use of mobile
technologies, to reduce corresponding carbon contents of these processes. Increasing complexity of
transactions also implies an opportunity to reducing that complexity and, thereby, reducing carbon
emissions in those processes.

Mobile-Broadcast—use of mobile technologies enables sending of one-way information to a large group

of people who may or may not be registered as users.

Mobile-Informative—use of mobility provides the organization with the ability to provide environment-
related information to the various stakeholders within the business.

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Mobile-Transactive—usage includes collection, collation, and reporting of environmental data with the
use of handheld mobile as well as stationary but wireless devices.

Mobile-Operative—usage provides opportunities for the organization to model and optimize its internal
processes that will produce environmentally friendly results.

Mobile-Collaborative— where organizations are influenced by their business partner‘s policies and
strategies toward green environment.

2.2.6.1 Environmental–Economic Mobile Use:

The economic influence of mobility needs to be considered here in terms of its relevance to
the environment. For example, the economic reasons for transitioning to mobile business can be extended
and discussed in terms of the economic reasons for transitioning to and managing a sustainable mobile
business. The important economic factors of costs and competition for mobile transitions have a
correlation with the environmental issues as well.

2.2.6.2 Environmental–Technical Mobile Use:

Environmentally responsible mobile businesses apply the concept of reuse to the design and
distribution of mobile gadgets as well. Technical designers seek to create mobile gadgets which will have
minimum impact on the environment. This environmentally responsible design of mobile phone can
reduce the amount of the materials used, reducing the impact of those materials and thereby increasing the
efficiency of the use of the mobile phones with the customers.

2.2.6.3 Environmental–Process Mobile Use:

The way in which businesses operate can have a tremendous impact on the environment.
The modeling, study, and optimization of business processes need to be undertaken from a mobile
perspective. Ā e potential of mobile devices to reduce people movement is obvious; this potential needs to
be woven in the green business processes of an organization.

2.2.6.4 Environmental–Social Mobile Use:

The social dimension of mobile technologies—particularly the devices and the social
networks—relate to the environment in many ways. For example, the ability of personalized transmission
of messages can be utilized in raising environmental awareness amongst specific users. Mobile businesses
can also take additional social responsibilities by investing in communities that can be helped to learn,
work, and thrive in a ―green‖ environment.

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2.3 Green Enterprise Architecture:

The aim of a GE A is to develop an understanding of different viewpoints of business, technology, and

the environment in which the business exists. Ā is understanding also reduces the risks associated with
the green transformation. Developing such an EA would imply an understanding and modeling of the
business as well as technology space of the organization.

2.3.1 Views of Green Enterprise Architecture:

Fig. Various views of

comprehensive Green enterprise architecture: Business, technology, and enterprise spaces.

A comprehensive GEA encompasses an understanding of the various views of the

organization and its interrelationships. Green information architecture (GIA), shown in upper half of
Figure primarily deals with the models of information capture and information provisioning to both
external and internal parties in the business space. The information architect and the business analyst
work in this space identifying and modeling the information requirements. This architecture is developed
based on the business requirements in the ―problem space‖ and takes into account the strategies and
policies of the organization. GIA identifies the basic functional requirements that are modeled in the
context of the Green IT strategies, processes, applications, and IT governance of the enterprise.

2.3.2 Green Enterprise Architecture—Categories of Requirements:

The GEA is not an independent entity per se. While a GEA deals with constraints,
compliance, integration performance, and security issues, it also influences both—the GIA in the business
space and the GSA in the technology space. Thus, the activities with GEA span the problem, solution, and

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background space. The following figure expands and groups the various activities that form part of the
overall green architecture of the enterprise.

Fig. Categories of requirements in the various green architectural spaces.

The GEA in the background is influencing and influenced by the GIA as well as the GSA from the
problem and the solution space respectively. The GIA provides the basics for using enterprise
applications, processes, and contents. The semantics for the master data including the green data are
defined and the operational and analytical information is modeled in this architectural space.

2.3.3 Aspects of Green Solutions Architecture:

GSA brings about a synergy of technologies that can enable efficient use of IT resources.
Thus, the resources are themselves used efficiently and, in turn, these IT resources provide the basis to
enhance the efficiency of the rest of the equipment‘s and processes in the organization.

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Fig. Various aspects of a Green solutions architecture.

Cloud Computing:

Cloud computing is already in use and, yet, there are many emergent aspects of it. Identification and
incorporation of Cloud-based solutions bring about immediate change in the carbon emissions of large
data centers.

Virtualization:

Virtualization, as its name suggests, creates multiple operating views on the same physical
machine resulting in much reduced use of hardware than if the servers were all physical. Carbon
performance requirements from virtualization should be identified, documented, and measured in
accordance with the overall green strategies and objectives of the organization.

Smart Networks:

Smart networks and their management make use of automated devices, sophisticated switch
management, optimized network operations and re al time reporting of the network performance.
Efficient network operations assure delivery at lower cost and improved environmental footprint.

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Real-Time Decision Making:

Real-time decision making in the solution space is based on availability and delivery of
information precisely and in the context of the need of the user. Such real-time delivery of information is
primarily achieved through mobile technologies, devices, and applications.

Alignment:

Alignment of data, processes, and interfaces is an architectural issue in the solution space
that focuses on reducing the friction within and amongst the systems. Ideal Green IT solutions, therefore,
can be understood as absence of contradictions amongst data, processes, and interfaces.

Optimization:

Optimization is closely associated with alignment and deals with the alignment of the
solution technologies such as the servers, applications, and databases. Optimization, in the GSA, is the
choice amongst possible alternative solutions that are aligned with the carbon footprint minimization
objective of the organization.

Integration:

This is a major activity in the green solutions space that works across two technological
areas:

(a) Integration of carbon data with green services and interfaces within an application; and

(b) Integration amongst the different applications themselves.

Integration in the GSA is a detailed activity that requires independent discussion as undertaken next.

2.3.4 The Environmental Intelligence Domain:

EI can be considered as an umbrella term that encompasses integrated suite of tools,

architecture, databases, data warehouses, performance management, and methodologies. The EI can also
refer to processes, techniques, or tools to support faster and better decision making for environmentally
responsible strategies. EI systems consist of the tools, technologies, and processes that turn environmental
data into information and knowledge that optimizes decision making.

2.3.4.1 Environmental Intelligence Systems’ Evolving Complexity:

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The evolving EI complexity is understood as follows:

Data:

Identification of carbon data related to equipment‘s (gadgets) across the company that
generates greenhouse gases; Provisioning the step-by-step collection and collation of the carbon-related
data within the organization.

Information:

Analysis and processing of the data in order to provide information to all parties concerned
regarding the carbon-position of the organization. Environmental transactions are recorded and processed
here in order to produce valuable information.

Process:

Optimizing procedures and controls within the organization using the concepts of business
process modeling (BPM) to ensure efficiency; developing an understanding of process maturity in the
context of green processes.

Knowledge:

Incorporation of external climate change data such as those provided by governmental

bodies or other third-parties, into the internal systems of the company by using Cloud computing
fundamentals.

Intelligence:

This is the semantic green enterprise. This is where the systems embrace people machine
continuum. EI system requires two major activities from an organization: upgrading existing BI systems
to incorporate environmental data, information, processes, and knowledge; and, analyzing, designing,
developing, and deploying systems that are specific to the environmental needs of the organization.

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Fig.Evolving complexities in environmental intelligence systems.

2.3.4.2 Communication Channels in Environmental Intelligence:

Environmental intelligence, combines not only myriad systems through correlations, but also
synergistically brings in people. This is important in a GEA that has to incorporate systems intelligence
with the human intelligence (shown on the left). The iterative influence of systems on stakeholders, and
vice versa, is through the various communication channels shown in the center of the figure.

2.3.4.3 Environmental Intelligence Implementation with Web Services:

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WS can be used to create and modify environmental services that would integrate carbon
information silos by connecting them, and providing real-time reporting features to decision makers. WS
can be used in the business environment to measure, monitor, and finally help for the process
optimization with respect to the environmental factors. With the help of the tools such as Green web
services (GWS), business can begin to develop EI systems, implement them in the business, monitor,
measure, and mitigate the emissions and monetize the process.

2.3.4.4 Environmental Intelligence with Mobility:

Mobility has a role to play in the environmentally responsible business strategies that make
an organization sustainable which, in turn, makes it a long-lasting and profitable organization. Mobility
can be said to help the business be EI. Mobility enables virtual collaboration between business and
individuals. Reengineering the business processes with mobility provides enormous opportunities for
virtualization. The more virtual a business is the less physical resources it will consume—therefore, well-
modeled mobile processes greatly assist in creation of environment friendly businesses.

EI systems involve and employ mobility solutions to coordinate office, field, and home
decision making. Figure extends the EI concept with mobility.

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2.4 GREEN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT:

SCM have evolved rapidly to automate and optimize the lifecycle of material procurement.
Similarly, SCM are also integral to procurement and use of equipment‘s and corresponding infrastructure.
Supply chain management (SCM) systems are an integral part of organization‘s systems. SCM of an
organization needs to be analyzed, planned, and optimized for sourcing and deliveries in an
environmentally conscious manner.

2.5 GREEN INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS):

A GIS is a software system that provides support to the business to implement its
environment responsible business strategies (ERBS). Thus, this system has to cover the length, breadth,
and depth of various structural and dynamic aspects of the business.

Phases in a GIS Development and Deployment:

Develop—GIS needs to be developed by following agile practices and considering the important phases
of a SDLC starting from requirements, analysis, design, and code to testing. Development has to consider
issues of deployment, integration, and operations. Analysis and design of the system is undertaken using
the unified modeling language (UML) diagrams that helps in modeling the problem space and develop a
solution in design space.

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Configure— Configuring GIS according to benchmarks and rules of organization. This would be an
activity specific to each organization within each industry sector

Use—Use of GIS will lead to ongoing recording of carbon data creation of reports as well as
comparisons.

Fig. Major phases in GIS: development, configuration, and use.

Features of GIS:

The features of a GIS that play a significant role in enhancing this ability of business to
coordinate its environmentally responsible approaches can be listed as follows:

 Collecting environment-related data in real time.

 Providing querying tools, key performance indicators (KPIs), and business analytics to field
workers and decision makers in the area of EI.
 Enhancing the decision-making capabilities of senior management by collating and computing
up-to-date information from varied external sources.
 GIS can continuously identify and upgrade business processes and business practices in
manufacturing, sales, and field support operations in order to make them environmentally
responsible.
 GIS also provides feedback to customers and other external users of the business on its
environmental performance.
 GIS provides the business with the ability to sustain itself for a long time.

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 GIS enables collaboration amongst businesses for the purpose of achieving environmental
responsibilities.

2.5.1 Modeling and Architecting GIS—Requirements, Design, Implementation, and Testing:

The UML has been used in presenting the models of the GIS

Package diagrams—Used to create and model subsystems/Green information portals. Packages can also
be used to create increments and sprints in an agile development approach.

Use cases—Used to show functionalities and business processes from a user‘s point of view. This is the
expected behavior of the system documented as interactions.

Use case diagrams—provides a model describing all the related business processes/functionalities of a
particular package.

Activity graphs—provides a detailed view of every step of a business process. They provide the flow
within a use case or a package of GIS.

Class diagrams—provides a static model of GIS based on its key business entities.

Sequence diagrams—provides a model for the interactions between objects and also rules for these
interactions that are architectural decisions.

State Machine diagrams—Provides a view in which a particular entity passes through different states as
a business process is executed.

Component diagrams—Used to show the interaction of every component with each other.

Deployment diagrams—Used to show the way application will be deployed including hardware and
related infrastructure.

2.5.2 GIS Requirements:

Green ICT is developed to measure only energy consumption and environmental parameters
such as carbon emissions, chemical wastes, and other office and industrial wastes. Green ICT system
analysis and design is performed using the UML. These diagrams help in modeling the operations and
interactions at the business level and also in system design thorough classes, packages, components, and
deployment diagrams.

A typical GIS would involve two subsystems:

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1. Green organizational portal (GOP)

2. Regulatory standards portal (RSP)

2.5.2.1 Green Organizational Portal:

The GOP is made up of organizational data on its ―green‖ performance. These data are
updated by the organizational representatives on an ongoing basis. These data record the organization‘s
pollutant performance such as

(a) Heat generated by the desktop machines, data centers and network equipment‘s within the
organization.

(b) Carbon emissions in the petrol/diesel consumed by the organization, and

(c) Hazardous materials produced by the organization‘s activities such as lead in batteries and mobile
phones.

2.5.2.2 Regulatory Standards Portal:

RSP is a large portal that will be maintained by the government agency responsible for
emission control within a country or region. The RSP will have to have detailed and continuously updated
information on the pollutant categories that are producing the carbon emissions.

2.5.2.3 Package Diagrams and System Scope:

The system should cover all the functionalities required to record, calculate, analyze, and
report on carbon emissions. GOP and RSP functions like emission details management and comparing
them with standards are done based on the company size and location.

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GOP and RSP are shown as two packages that also interface with the interface and administration
services. While the GOP will have multiple instances across various organizations, the RSP will have a
single instance.

Use Case Diagram for GOP:

Fig. Use case diagram for ―green organizational portal.‖

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Use case diagram for ROP:

Fig. Use case diagram for ―emissions benchmark maintenance (ROP).‖

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The activity diagram for the use case ―Calculate Emissions.‖:

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Activity diagram for maintaining emission standards:

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Class Diagram for GOP:

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Sequence Diagram for ―Emissions Check‖

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UNIT II

GREEN ASSETS AND MODELING

PART – A (2 MARKS)

1. Define Green assets?

Anything that has social, environmental and or economic value that is owned by an individual,
business, family or community. It includes intangible, non-physical assets, resources and rights.

2. What are the three activities of Green assets?

 Establish (Procure)
 Operate (Run)
 Dispose (Demolish)
3. Define Green Data Centers?

A Green Data center or sustainable data center is a service facility which utilizes energy efficient
technologies. They do not contain obsolete systems, and take advantage of newer more efficient
technologies.

4. Which are the key elements of Green Data Center?

 Minimizing the footprints of the buildings.
 Sustainable landscaping.
 Waste recycling.
 The use of low-emission building materials carpets and paints.
 The use of hybrid or electric company vehicles.
5. Define Green Communication?

Green Communication is the practice of selecting energy efficient communications and

networking technologies and products, minimizing resource used whenever possible in all branches of
communication.

6. What is a mobile network in communication?

Mobile communication networks are a type of telecommunications networks with a collection of
terminals, entities and nodes connected to each other through links that enable telecommunication
between the users of the terminals.
7. Define Local Area Networks (LAN)?

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The local networks of the organization that are made uo of the physical connections among the
machines and primarily the data center.

8. Define WAN?
The Wide Area Networks of an organization enables communication amongst its desktop and
laptop machines with and beyond its data center.
9. What is Green Business Process Management (GBPM)?

Towards the sustainable enterprise consolidates the global state of the art knowledge about how
business processes can be managed and improved in the light of sustainability objectives.

10. Define green reengineering?

A green reengineering framework is proposed that establishes a research agenda in the green. It
improves business domain from the information systems, management perspective.

11. Write some of the uses of reengineering?

 Business process reengineering improves quality by reducing the fragmentation of work
and establishing clear ownership of processes.
 The workers gain responsibility to their output and can measure their performance based
on prompt feedback.
12. What are the categories of green processes?
 Individual
 Organizational
 Collaborative
13. Define functional requirements?

Functional requirements define the basic system behavior, essentially, they are what the system
does or must not do, and can be thought of in terms of how the system responds to inputs.

14. Define enterprise?

An enterprise is a high-level, strategic view of the organization and ―architecture‖ implies a

structural frame for the analysis, planning and development of resources.

15. List the categories of requirements?

i. Green Business Architecture
ii. Green Information Architecture

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iii. Green solution Architecture

iv. Green Enterprise Architecture

16. Define environmental intelligence?

Environmental intelligence is a system through which information about a particular region or

process is collected for the benefit of decision makers through the use of more than one inter-related
source.

17. Define mobility?

Mobility can play a vital role for the sustainability of a business and sustainable business provides
impetus for economic growth as well.

18. What are the technical areas for EI?

i. Data warehouse.
ii. Business Analytics.
iii. Business performance management.
iv. User interface.
19. Define Generic green information system (GIS)?

GIS is a system that is dedicated to management of carbon data. Therefore a GIS forms the basics
for measuring. Monitoring and reporting on the carbon data of the organization.

20. What are the major phases of GIS?

Develop.
Configure.
Use.
21. What are the types of GIS subsystems?
i. Green Organizational Portal (GOP).
ii. Regulatory Standards Portal (RSP).
22. Define GOP and RSP?

Regulatory portal provides the standard emission value determined by the regulatory body for each
emission type based on the industry and company.

Organizational portal focuses on the capture of emission data and its comparison with the emission
standards.

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UNIT II

GREEN ASSETS AND MODELING

PART – B (16 MARKS)

1. Explain in detail about Green Assets, Buildings and Facility management?

2. Discuss in detail about Green assets?

3. Write in detail about green data centers?

4. Explain about Green Enterprise Architecture (GEA) and Green Solution Architecture (GSA)?

5. Briefly explain about Environmental Intelligence Domain (EI Domain)?

6. Explain in detail about

i. EI Domain.

ii. Complexities.

iii. Web services.

iv. EI Mobility.

7. Describe the Green Supply Chain Management (SCM)?

8. Explain in detail about Green Information System (GIS)?

9. Briefly explain about GIS phases, Requirements design, Implementation and Testing?

10. Discuss the Green information System Requirements?

11. Explain in detail about GIS package Diagrams and system scope?

12. Discuss in detail about Green Organization Portal (GOP) and Regulatory Standard Portal (RSP)?

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