伊恩•米切尔, 6point6的建筑总监, considers the opportunities available to organisations driving towards achieving net-zero in technology.
发现隐藏在显眼处的可持续性收益
可持续性是一个广泛且可互换使用的术语. 事实上，很难给出一个单一的定义, 但本质上是在一个技术环境中, we argue that sustainability means limiting the environmental impact of the 服务s we deliver and reducing our own contribution to significant environmental problems including climate change. To do this, we need to develop sustainability metrics and evaluate our performance against them.
数字访问继续激增, with both private and public sector 服务s continually increasing their reliance on cloud computing. 向最终用户提供服务, administration of supply chains and processing of data all require ever greater computing power as well as more end user devices.
对数字服务的需求正在迅速增长, with Ofcom reporting that COVID-19 led to the following unprecedented increases in digital 服务 use:
- 22.2020年3月，有500万人在线访问医疗保健信息
- 12.2020年10月，有600万人使用了英国政府的Covid-19应用程序
- 13.2021年3月，有700万人使用数字平台工作或学习(高于2015年3月的700万人).每年300万美元)
2021年，英国政府发布了一份 “零净策略” 承诺到2050年将温室气体排放减少到净零. 这包括承诺在政府活动中实现净零排放, meaning that departments will consider net-zero as part of procurement and commissioning decisions to create a cleaner supply chain. The successful 交付 of this strategy requires all 政府ernment departments and therefore all suppliers to the 政府ernment, 发挥他们的作用.
Energy provision contributes 35% of greenhouse gases and information technology is currently estimated to be responsible for approximately 10% of commercial energy. 除了, 制造, 交付, 操作, disposal or recycling of IT equipment has a major role to play in the successful attainment of net-zero. 当考虑到信息技术对环境的影响, it is common for people to leap straight to the emissions volume of cloud data centres where the numbers seem most significant. The data centres and data transmission networks that underpin digitalisation accounted for around 300 Mt CO2-eq in 2020, 等于0.与能源有关的温室气体排放的9%(或0.09%).占温室气体总排放量的6%).
However, to look at only one part of a system is to potentially overlook the effect of other parts. 例如, 如果您关注由服务器驱动的大量碳排放的数据中心, 冷却, 水, 废物及用电量, you might overlook the positive effect they have had in reducing emissions by enabling more energy efficient, 资源消耗更少的终端用户设备. Before we get too excited about the apparent win resulting from the move to centralised computing power however, 我们应该注意到，终端用户设备预计将以12%的速度增长.8% CAGR per year and global enterprise technology accounts for approximately 1-2% of global greenhouse gas emissions – which is roughly equivalent to the entire carbon output of the UK, 或者50%的航空排放.
我们还需要记住，技术可以是一种积极的力量. Whilst the rapid growth in use of platforms such as Microsoft Teams contributes to growth in greenhouse gas emissions from technology, 它还减少了道路上大量的车辆, reduces the need for unnecessary air travel and reduces consumption of office stationery and other consumables.
对于如此复杂的问题，我们如何找到可持续发展的解决方案?
1. 理解
理解ing the full extent of your environmental impact can appear complex but it doesn’t need to be difficult. There are frameworks that will help you to understand the information you need by laying out all the targets which exist. 例如, 英国政府已经制定了与净零相关的可持续性规则, 回收及堆填, 以及透明度和问责制. They’ve also laid out clear targets and outcomes which provide some strategic direction.
考虑您在四个关键影响领域的可持续发展影响:
- 采购——想想你从谁那里采购产品和服务. 理解 your supply chain and its commitment to strategic imperatives that are important to you – and the planet.
- 部署——你要购买什么? 是什么驱动着你的设计和你的操作方法? 你是在考虑最可持续的设计，还是最便宜的解决方案?
- 管理——你有什么样的刷新周期? 你如何激励人们保养自己的硬件? What support and guidance do you give people on paperless 操作 and care for consumables?
- 回收和处理-你为回收设定了什么目标? 您的逆向供应链合作伙伴有哪些认证? 他们有多支持你的目标?
2. 参与
Sustainability is a planet-wide imperative and that makes it an organisation-wide issue. 这意味着技术的可持续性不仅仅与IT有关. 每个人都有自己的角色，这从董事会开始. Leaders need to be reviewing performance on sustainability at a strategic level and communicating their progress to the whole business.
这可以很简单:
- 跟踪和报告纸张使用或打印机点击
- 提醒人们在不使用设备时关闭电源
- 促进良好的数据存储管理
- displaying sustainability targets where they are easily seen by everyone in the organisation
- 提名一名董事会级别的所有者担任可持续实践方面的组织领导
3. 计划
With engagement from your leadership and clarity relating to your current position you can plan for successfully achieving your sustainability goals. 每个组织都是不同的, 每一段旅程都有不同的起点, but your plan will almost certainly need to consider the impact areas documented previously.
Your plan should not only consider what you do and how you do it, but also why you do it. 例如, 在数据存储的情况下，不要只考虑你持有什么数据, 而是你能坚持多久, 你拿着它的地方, 为了什么目的?
考虑构建和托管应用程序的位置, 以及是否可以共享现有的架构和环境. Once you start to review options and make decisions from a sustainability perspective, you may well find yourself arriving at different answers and proposing different approaches.
最后，不要忘记刷新周期和基础设施的可靠性. 您可以采用不同的架构来增强弹性, 这反过来又为更长的刷新周期提供了信心.
一旦你开始考虑这些事情, 你可以为你的组织设定目标.
我从哪里开始呢??
Sustainability permeates every area of an organisation and requires skilled and experienced people working alongside senior leaders to help guide balanced decision making when considering it against other imperatives.
6point6 is experienced in helping organisations understand their current environmental footprint and building plans for improved sustainability impact. 如果您想了解更多，请通过以下方式与我们联系: enquiries@6point6.co.uk.
伊恩•米切尔，建筑总监
Ian领导6point6的架构实践和技术产品. 在IT行业拥有超过30年的经验, Ian专注于推动大型企业架构的开发, 它的策略, 改造路线图和运行技术设计机构.
