Green Information Systems Concepts and Principles Dr. Dwyer
Fall 2012 1
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What is IS? Information and communications technologies (ICT)
are driving a continuing evolution of innovation for all human
activities, transforming the ways we do things, at home, at work
and in the larger society. The field of Information Systems (IS)
studies the design, development, implementation, use and impact of
information systems, which are complex socio-technical artefacts
defined as integrated and cooperating sets of people, processes,
software, and information technologies to support individual,
organizational, or societal goals (Watson) 2
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What is Green IS? Development of information systems that
provide the digital infrastructure for sustainable business
processes. Examples: Monitor emissions and waste products to manage
them more effectively. Dynamically route of vehicles to avoid
traffic and minimize energy consumption. 3
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What is Green IS? Support distributed teamwork with
telecommuting, collaborative work systems, group document
management, and cooperative knowledge management. Provide
information to consumers so they can make green choices more
conveniently and effectively. 4
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Information as a resource The success of an organization
depends on its ability to collect and analyze relevant information
to make strategic decisions to seize opportunities The success of a
professional depends on their ability to collect and analyze
relevant data in order to recommend and implement strategic actions
5
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Applied to Sustainability Smart grid and distributed power can
make the electric grid more robust Centralized system is
vulnerable, distributed system is more robust (Internet) Green
supply chain uses resources more efficiently (UPS, Walmart) 6
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Energy Informatics Framework 7
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Systems perspective Systems Theory - interaction between
sub-systems (technology systems & organizational system/social
system) Derives from biological systems, where components interact
with each other (predators v. prey) Interacting components that
affect each other Dynamic (always changing) non-deterministic
8
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Relevance of Socio-technical Systems Theory Socio-technical
Systems Theory argues that technological systems contain messy,
complex, problem-solving components, Hughes, 1989 Technological
systems have embedded social components is central thesis of IS
research Apply Socio-technical systems theory to impact of human
activities on the earths environment 9
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Based on Hughes, 1989 System goal: overarching objective or
purpose for the system (example: deliver electricity) Feedback
loop: actual behavior of system is compared to system goal in order
to make adjustment 10
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Examine System Goal Goal of global economy is consumption and
efficiency (profitability) Reinforced by economic measures such as
GDP Need to align system with goal with sustainability Will also
require metrics to measure and support this re- alignment (see
Evaluation and Indicators section) 11
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Applied to Green IS Sustainability -> risk and business
continuity Cell towers only eight hours of battery back up New York
Hospital put its backup generator in the basement which flooded
Also lost millions of dollars worth of medical imaging equipment
and research materials 12
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We are at a critical turning point 13 1941 2004 The Retreat of
Muir Glacier, in Alaska
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Super Storm Sandy 14
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NYC Has to Plan for More Storms Like Sandy NYT: Bloomberg
Describes Plans for NYC Post-Sandy Text of Mayors speech herehere
Will require infrastructure hardening, partly publically owned
(roads and parks), part privately owned (grid and phone networks)
In an age of fiber optics, we cant be so dependent on traditional
copper wiring. Verizon I think learnt that lesson during Sandy,
which took out an astonishing 95 percent of its copper network in
downtown Manhattan. They are now rebuilding better and smarter with
fiber, but full restoration will take months. Mayor Bloomberg, Dec.
6th 15
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Reaching limits of Nine Planetary Boundaries 16 A safe
operating space for humanity, Nature, September 2009 We estimate
that humanity has already transgressed three planetary boundaries:
for climate change, rate of biodiversity loss, and changes to the
global nitrogen cycle.
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The Synergy Between IS and Sustainability The IS skill set
ports over directly to Sustainability We (IS) analyze how systems
actually work, not just how they are designed Fundamental IS
concepts are directly applicable to sustainability issues, and
provide ways to measure and encourage workable solutions
Sustainability requirements analysis Socio-technical systems Supply
chain planet earth Interoperability Distributed systems 17
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Interoperability A real virtue in any information system, it
can be very helpful if applied to energy consuming systems Make
them interoperable so they can work with any energy source wind,
solar, ethanol, etc. Brazil is the leader in the use of flex-fuel,
this concept can be extended to many other kinds of systems 18
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IS and Brazil: Global Leaders for Sustainability Brazil is a
global leader in renewable energy sources (hydropower and ethanol)
Not just talk in Brazil, it works! Solution depended on interaction
of technology (flex-fuel engines), agriculture (ethanol), and
public policy (ban of gasoline-only vehicles) This model works, and
we need to deploy it around the globe 19 Ethanol distillery,
Piracicaba, So Paulo State.
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Distributed versus centralized IS concept: advantages and
disadvantaged of distributed versus centralized computing systems
Advantage of distributed: more flexible, efficient, and more
responsive Advantage of centralized: better consistency, quality
assurance, and standardization 20
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Centralized power generation 21 Centralized power generation is
very inefficient, converting only 30% of energy into
electricity
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Distributed power generation 22 Distributed power captures
waste heat and uses it for other needs (heating, hot water), for
~80% efficiency
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23 Current project: Co-generation, or combined heat and
power
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Giant containers for hot water heated as a by-product of
electrical generation 24
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These tanks will replace our use of 30,000 gallons of diesel
fuel to make hot water 25
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Critical themes for IS and Sustainability Green IT Minimize
environmental impact of the data center, and running technology in
general Green IS sophisticated information systems that monitor and
optimize use of resources IS Educators develop case studies,
exercises, and materials that give students a richer understanding
of intersection of energy policy, technical design, and individual
choices Green HCI (next slide) 26
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Green HCI It is much easier to monitor Facebook activity
compared to daily energy use Green HCI provide clear and actionable
energy consumption interfaces, that enable users to minimize their
energy use 27 Standard meter Smart meter
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Feedback loop 28
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Embed Green Behavior in a Social Context (OPOWER) 29
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Design and Aesthetics 30 Solid Waste Transfer and Recycling
Facility, Phoenix, Arizona, 1993
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Research on Attitudes and Behavior Climate change is an urgent
problem Use of fossil fuels is a large contributor to green house
gas emissions (GHGE) Individual energy consumption choices are
related to GHGE Non-economic methods are needed to encourage
voluntary reduction in energy consumption The Relationship Between
Energy Literacy and Environmental Sustainability, Low Carbon
Economy, 2011 The Relationship Between Energy Literacy and
Environmental Sustainability 31
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Designed Energy Literacy Course Develop conceptual fluency with
the economic and social components of energy use Topics include
differences between fossil fuels, renewable energy alter-natives,
and the link between consumption decisions and environmental impact
Subjects: 188 students from eight sections of Introduction to
Computing course (pre- and post-course survey) 32
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Why energy literacy rather than climate change? 33 Climate
change is extremely complex, and hard to explain to non-scientists.
Energy can serve as a proxy for all sustainability issues Data from
Wichita, Kansas, USA
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34 Variability lowers publics belief in climate change Data
from Bela Horizonte, Brazil This outlier undermines climate change
argument Analysis of Energy Use is more tangible, more
immediate
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Three Attitudes Emerged Denial - Individual denies climate
change is real, and has no intention to change consumption behavior
Agency - Individual recognizes climate change as an urgent issue,
believes their own actions can contribute to a solution Anxiety -
Individual expresses concern that climate change/energy shortages
will lead to chaos and global destruction 35
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Attitude Analysis 36 PreNEPERBPostNEPERB
Denial-0.402***-0.286***Denial-0.166*-0.037
Agency0.446***0.226**Agency0.466***0.294***
Anxiety0.204**0.163*Anxiety0.313***0.344*** * p