Shaping agendas for the more sustainable use of digital technologies in universities
Susan Brown, Lecturer and Programme Director of Education for a Sustainable Environment, University of Manchester
Digital technology has been characterised both as socio-environmental friend and a socio-environmental foe (Greenwood & Houghman, 2015). There is significan research and debate around its role as friend in advancing education and much less around its role as foe (Selwyn, 2024).
This talk argues the need to recognise the negative socio-environmental impacts of digital technology within HE and to shape agendas for the more restrained and discerning use of digital technology.
In making this case, it draws on ideas from the digital degrowth, rewilding technologies and computing within limits movements. It argues these movements offer foundations for greater creative and sustainable thinking around digital technology use in universities.
Scope 3 emissions: What do they mean for IT?
Paul Rock, Consultant
Most education institutions have targets - set externally or internally - to reducetheir carbon emissions. This short session will explore the three key emissions 'scopes', helping us better understand their impact and consider some of the most effective ways to reduce the environmental impact of IT, particularly Scope 3 emissions
AI and Sustainability: Environmental and Social Impacts
John Vass-de-Zomba, IT Environmental Sustainability Manager, University of Manchester
This talk explores the hidden impacts of artificial intelligence technologies, from carbon emissions and water consumption, to e-waste, and ethical concerns around rare metals. This talk examines the growing ecological footprint of the 'AI revolution' while discussing the crucial balance between technological advancement and planetary stewardship
How a data strategy can help you deliver a more sustainable campus
Oliver Ramsey, Lead Statistical Analyst, University of Bristol
Discover how a clear strategy can become a catalyst for campus sustainability. As the author of our divisional data plan, I'll share how we've improved data quality, reporting, and governance to create a single source of truth. Learn how this foundation enables powerful data products that inform estate reshaping, optimise building performance, and measure real-world impact - turning smart ambitions into sustainable
Remote Working: The Future or a Flawed Fantasy?
Paul Rock, Consultant
Is remote working truly sustainable - economically, socially, and environmentally?
Join the debate where we’ll dive into the real impact of remote working. From boosted productivity to burnout, cost-savings to culture shifts - nothing’s off the table. Bring your views. Challenge
Becoming efficient: What happens when we can't go any faster?
Oisin Doherty, Green Web Estate Intern, The University of Edinburgh
Have we streamlined too close to the sun? As data storage grows exponentially and AI slop slowly fills the internet, this talk questions the role of efficiency in technology and emphasises the need to create with care.
By addressing the rebound effect, it explores how technologies can shift our behaviours for the worse - and why a more intentional, considered approach to digital creation is needed to oth clean up the internet and curb the negative impacts of digital technologies.
How the Net Zero Carbon Supplier Tool is helping NTU to progress their supply chain emissions towards Net Zero
Charlotte Wood, Sustainability Manager, Nottingham Trent University, Claire Davies, Sustainable Procurement Manager, Nottingham Trent University
Touching on their sector-led collaborative project to address some of the challenges of reducing supply chain emissions, and, with a particular focus on Information Technology purchasing, NTU will share how the Net Zero Carbon Supplier Tool is driving and informing carbon emission reductions in their own supply chains.
Using local AI computer to offset cloud AI sustainabilty
Trevor Baxter, King's College London
This discussion's premise is that not all AI queries require the largest models running on the most powerful cloud AI systems. Many can operate effectively on smaller local models using more sustainable machinery, such as Arm-based computers. By choosing where to run a query and having systems that escalate to a more powerful cloud system only when necessary, AI usage can become more environmentally friendly while still delivering results.
Sweating your hardware assests
John Vass-de-Zomba, IT Environmental Sustainability Manager, University of Manchester, Chris McEvoy, Head of Enterprise Services, Keele University, David Barrett, Head of Desktop, Print and Support, University of York
Seeking to gain more usage out of hardware is a common response to the demands for optimised budgets and savings realisation. This is often the case with end user devices but is also true for what we run in data centres. Deciding which hardware to utilise for longer and how to do that requires consideration of risk, cost, performance, and sustainability. Our panel brings toether HE IT professionals experienced in the field, to share their insights on what factors to consider when looking to extend device lifespans, and to provide examples of what they believe best practice sustainable lifecycle management looks like.
