European Framework Initiative for Energy and Environmental Efficiency in the ICT Sector

Project Information

ICTFOOTPRINT.eu

Grant agreement ID: 690911

DOI

10.3030/690911

Project closed

EC signature date 30 November 2015

Start date 1 February 2016

End date 31 January 2019

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 404 401,25

EU contribution

€ 400 000,00

Coordinated by

TRUST-IT SERVICES LIMITED
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ICTFOOTPRINT.eu (European Framework Initiative for Energy and Environmental Efficiency in the ICT Sector)

Reporting period: 2017-08-01 to 2019-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

ICTFOOTPRINT.eu EU Framework Initiative for Energy & Environmental Efficiency in the ICT Sector aims to deliver a practical response to the outcome of the pilot study conducted by the EC back in 2013 for the adoption of ICT footprint calculation methodologies. Too many organisations, whilst wanting more energy-efficient products & services do not know where to start nor have the adequate time or resources to pursue this efficiently. The project aims to change this by raising awareness but at the same time create an ecosystem allowing a win-win approach to end-users or providers of ICT services (including data centres & networks), ICT large players, SDOs, Public Authorities & Legislators. Specific Goals include: Create an LCE Support Framework Platform informing end-users, agnostically, of ICT specific methodologies available & support them; Create a marketplace of opportunities for solution providers in ICT energy & environmental efficiency; Deliver a tool allowing SMEs to make an assessment of their carbon footprint; Interface & engage with relevant stakeholders to disseminate the methodologies; Produce the ICTFOOTPRINT.eu Policy Action Plan Strategy Report; Provide Sustainability-driven Mechanisms to involve & incentivize all players that are necessary to create the aforementioned ecosystem. The project is led by a lean, skilled & complementary consortia. Trust-IT, a dynamic UK, SME over 20 yrs of experience on EC related support activities & communicating ICT innovation for its global network. BIO-Intelligence Services/ Deloitte, FR, centre of excellence & innovation in the field of sustainability. The Green Digital Charter/EuroCities BE, over 40 major EU cities working together to deliver on the EU climate objectives through the use of ICT. The consortium is supported by an External Advisory Group of experts passionate about IT resource efficiency.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Objective 1: Create an LCE (Life Cycle Engineering) Support Framework Platform that informs end-users of the existence of the methodologies available & supports them in lowering barriers to entry.
ICTFOOTPRINT.eu fully fledged dynamic, responsive website with:
- Interactive map of ICT standards
- Regular content news pieces
- Marketplace with buyers & sellers
- Help desk and Glossary in: EN, FR, DE, IT, ES
Objective 2: Design user-oriented, online implementation of footprinting methodologies.
- Intro on calculation methodologies
- 20 methodology factsheets downloadable
- 29 Success stories published. At the time of writing an additional 50 stories are being analysed.
Objective 3: Develop a web application “Service Area” targeting SMEs to help assess carbon and energy footprint & share experiences.
- Help desk, Live chat & Frequently Asked Questions in: EN, FR, DE, IT, ES
- Self-Assessment Tool for ICT Services (SAT-S)
Objective 4: Create an aggregated community for solution providers and consumers in the field of energy & environmental efficiency in the ICT sector, with a marketplace of opportunities.:
- Marketplace full-fledged with 2 Buyers & 20 Sellers registered
- ICTFOOTPRINT.eu Community members: +1,900
- Contacts in ICTFOOTPRINT.eu Database: +4,100
Objective 5: Raise awareness, educate and empower (prospective) SMEs (& all other end-users) with actions & showcases, as well as informative material to promote green strategies.
- Events participation:
- Sustainable Energy Week (Jun 2016)
- Knowledge Society & Mobility Forums (Oct 2016)
- Data Centre World (Nov 2016)
- World Sustainable Energy Days (Mar 2017)
- SMARTGREENS (Apr 2017)
- REMOO Energy 2017 (May 2017)
- Sustainable Energy Week (Jun 2017)
- 6 webinars carried out and available online for consultation (participation increasing: around 300 people total; over 800 views)
- Social media community: 1,600
- Best practices online: 29
Objective 6: Interface and liaise with the relevant standards bodies (SDOs).
- Active interaction and engagement with 5 SDO, with 3 being speakers in webinars (ETSI, ITU-T, The Green Grid, GHG Protocol).
Objective 7: A committed, highly influential External Advisory Group (EAG) that provides independent support in covering the needs of the targeted stakeholders.
ICTFOOTPRINT.eu EAG meetings: 1st F2F: 18th May 2016, at EC premises DG Connect, 2nd virtual meeting 2nd Dec 2016
- 11 highly involved expert professionals in the EAG:
- A. Andrae – Huawei –SE (Large Enterprise)
- M. Boldi – Telecom Italia – IT (Large Enterprise)
- E. Fryer – Tech UK – UK (NPO)
- O. Namikawa – Hitachi – JP (Large Enterprise)
- D. Roche – ETSI – FR (SDO)
- L. Rütimann – The Green Grid – CH (NPO)
- D. Schien – University Bristol – UK (Academia)
- A. Stephens – Carbon Trust – UK (SME)
- T. Wilson – ECOS – BE (NPO)
- J. Vlasveld – Green IT – NL (NPO)
- T. Corvaisier – GREENSPECTOR – FR (SME)
Objective 8: Leave a lasting legacy.
- 5.60% of all contacts from ICTFOOTPRINT.EU database are Public Policy Makers and SDO individuals
- “D3.2 - Recommendations & uptake by SMEs” submission, providing first insights that will be taken into account in development of Action Plan.
Objective 9: Develop & implement a sustainable business model.
- Start identification of key needs from stakeholders interested in adopting ICTOOTPRINT.eu services and resources.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

- ICT Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methodologies:
- The Interactive Map of Standards is proving to be particularly impactful for both SDOs and organisations in the marketplace. The SDOs involved have provided first hand feedback on the status of the ICT methodologies. This is a work in progress that will have iterations in the future;
- Business opportunities & synergies:
- A community of accredited sellers & buyers is growing around the Marketplace. Marketplace sellers are also being promoted on all communication channels highlighting the energy savings and benefits of ICT sustainable solutions. The growth of the Marketplace will increase business opportunities & create potential synergies.
- Efforts in engaging an SME community of innovative energy efficiency players in Europe will lead to raising awareness on European SMEs contributing greatly to producing innovative tools & products & services in the EE sector.
- Motivation to address ICT environmental issues & awareness on ICT LCIA methodologies:
- The Self-Assessment Tool for ICT Services (SAT-S) provides a simplified LCIA of carbon & energy footprint of web-based ICT services for non-specialised users. It has been designed and developed to raise awareness & lower the barrier to access the main methodological principles for the environmental footprint for the ICT sector. The tool is targeted in particular for SMEs & municipalities, as they resulted to be missing basic knowledge on the topic.
An estimate of 10 million SMEs in Europe are ICT-intensive, so the impact of the SAT-S could potentially be huge. The tool’s personalised report motivates users to address ICT environmental impact issues.
- An evolution of SAT-S is being developed, to support organisations in calculating their ICT-related carbon footprint, and providing indications for practical improvement of an organisations’ ICT sustainability.
- A highly engaged & loyal community has been following all of the project’s Webinars raising awareness and providing advices & insights on how the community can improve their sustainability in ICT thanks to energy efficiency, low carbon footprint procedures & more sustainable LCIA analysis.

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