Sustainable Computing

Students working in the DIS

About us

Digital systems such as the Internet, AI, VR, mobile computing and Internet of Things are unquestionably leading to social and environmental impacts, many undesirable and emergent. As tools, they enable us to work faster, connect with each other, stay entertained, and even understand the planet - helping scientists and policymakers in environmental decision making. But, they also lead to new forms of exploitation and criminal activity; lead to new forms of digital addiction and misinformation; disrupt political systems, and exist at such scale that they place new and growing demands on energy supplies and water. Are they better or worse for society, for our mental health, for our planet in a time of climate crisis?

Our work focuses on environmental and social sustainability of ICT, the role of technology in supporting environmental science in balance with its impacts, and our relationship with and design of digital technologies in the world. Questions we ask include:

  1. In what ways does ICT impact the environment? Is this growing, and what can we do to mitigate it?
  2. How can digital systems be designed to be more environmentally and socially sustainable?
  3. What are the effects of digital technologies in transforming socio-technical systems, and how can they be designed to be more beneficial for people and planet?
  4. How might sustainable digital innovations support environmental monitoring and modelling, data science, and decision-making for the environment?

Ongoing and past work includes research focusing on:

  • 'Reimagining digital research infrastructure in environmental science for a sustainable future (EP/Z533774/1);
  • Understanding, Mitigating and Adapting to Environmental Change (EP/P002285/1) (senior fellowship);
  • Design Principles and Responsible Innovation for a Sustainable Digital Economy;
  • Future Places and the digital economy;
  • ICT and energy use in the home (EP/I00033X/1);
  • Sustainable food choices (EP/K012738/1);
  • Improving the sustainability of last mile logistics (EP/K012614/1; EP/N02222X/1; EP/S027726/1);
  • Better statistical tools for understanding industrial energy data (EP/T025964/1).

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Highlighted Projects

All Projects

Reimagining digital research infrastructure in environmental science for a sustainable future
01/01/2025 → 31/12/2027
Research

DSI: Reducing the Global ICT Footprint via Self-adaptive Large-scale (DCMS Supplement)
01/12/2022 → 31/05/2023
Research

DSI: Equity for the Older: Beyond Digital Access
01/10/2022 → 31/08/2025
Research

PINCH: Cyber Security Threat Assessment for AI: phase 2
26/09/2022 → 28/02/2023
Research

DSI: Learning from the Big Picture: Applying Responsible Innovation to the Net Zero Research Infrastructure transformation (ARINZRIT)
01/09/2022 → 19/05/2023
Research

DSI: Trustworthy and Accountable Decision-Making Frameworks for Biodiversity - A Virtual Labs based Approach
12/08/2022 → 11/02/2026
Research

DSI: Design Principles and Responsible Innovation for a Sustainable Digital Economy (Paris-DE)
01/09/2021 → 28/02/2025
Research

IAA: Scoping out the potential for a solar park ecological impacts virtual lab
01/08/2021 → 30/06/2022
Research

Reducing the Global ICT Footprint via Self-adaptive Large-scale ICT Systems
01/06/2021 → 31/05/2026
Research

“What if you were controlled by all these apps?” - challenging indifference toward essential gig economy courier work.
01/05/2021 → 30/11/2022
Research

Can we improve building management and reduce carbon footprint through a mesh network of indoor air quality sensors?
01/01/2021 → 01/01/2024
Research

Reducing End Use Energy Demand in Commercial Settings Through Digital Innovation
01/01/2021 → 30/09/2025
Research

Future Places: A Digital Economy Centre on Understanding Place Through Pervasive Computing
01/10/2020 → 28/02/2026
Research

Carbon footprint of different computer technologies
01/03/2020 → 31/03/2020
Research

DSI : BIAS: Responsible AI for Labour Market Equality
01/02/2020 → 31/01/2024
Research

Methodologically Enhanced Virtual Labs for Early Warning of Significant or Catastrophic Change in Ecosystems: Changepoints for a Changing Planet
15/11/2019 → 14/05/2021
Research

Digitally transforming deliveries and collections in the gig-economy: fairer and more sustainable last mile parcel logistics
01/09/2019 → 31/05/2022
Research

Switch-Gig - Exploring digital opportunities to switch the gig-economy to fair and just work
01/09/2019 → 31/07/2020
Research

Knowledge Transfer partnership with Jeremy Benn Associates Ltd
03/05/2019 → 31/08/2021
Research

‘I want it, and I want it now’ – demonstrating the transport and environmental impacts of last-mile parcel delivery.
01/04/2019 → 09/09/2021
Other

DSI: Monitoring and predicting the effects of climate change on crop yields
01/02/2019 → 31/07/2020
Research

Containerisation of the Current Environment Agency Diatom Bioinformatics Pipeline
15/01/2019 → 11/03/2019
Research

Qualified Selves: Co-Creating Meaning Post-Big Data
01/01/2019 → 31/10/2020
Research