Measuring the environmental impact of IT/IS solutions - A life cycle impact modelling approach

Environmental Modelling and Software

Volumn 56, Issue , 2014, Pages 94-104

  Stiel, Florian ^a   Teuteberg, Frank ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF OSNABRÜCK   (Germany)

Author keywords

Conceptual framework; Design science; Information systems; Information technology; Life cycle assessment; Life cycle inventory analysis; Symbiotic modelling

Indexed keywords

COMPUTER SIMULATION; DESIGN; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT; INFORMATION SYSTEMS; INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY; RESEARCH;

BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS; CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS; DESIGN SCIENCE; DESIGN-SCIENCE RESEARCHES; LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA); LIFE CYCLE INVENTORY ANALYSIS; QUALITATIVE APPROACH; SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION;

LIFE CYCLE;

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE; CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK; ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT; ENVIRONMENTAL MODELING; LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS;

EID: 84901501054     PISSN: 13648152     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2013.12.014     Document Type: Article

References (56)

1. Bartl K., Gómez C.a., Nemecek T. Life cycle assessment of milk produced in two smallholder dairy systems in the highlands and the coast of Peru. J.Clean. Prod. 2011, 19(13):1494-1505.
2. Bonvoisin J., Lelah A., Mathieux F., Brissaud D. An environmental assessment method for wireless sensor networks. J.Clean. Prod. 2012, 33(16):145-154. Elsevier Ltd.
3. Bousquin J., Gambeta E., Esterman M., Rothenberg S. Life cycle assessment in the print industry. J.Ind. Ecol. 2012, 16(s1):S195-S205.
4. Boyd S.B., Horvath A., Dornfeld D. Life-cycle Energy demand and global warming potential of computational logic. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2009, 43(19):7303-7309.
5. Boyd S.B., Horvath A., Dornfeld D.a. Life-cycle assessment of computational logic produced from 1995 through 2010. Environ. Res. Lett. 2010, 5(1).
6. Carpenter A., Jambeck J.R., Gardner K., Weitz K. Life cycle assessment of end-of-life management options for construction and demolition debris. J.Ind. Ecol. 2012, 17(3):396-406.
7. Cellura M., Longo S., Mistretta M. Life cycle assessment (LCA) of protected crops: an Italian case study. J.Clean. Prod. 2012, 28:56-62.
8. Dompke M., Geibler J.Von, Göhring W., Herget M., Hilty L.M., Isenmann R., Kuhndt M., et al. Memorandum Nachhaltige Informationsgesellschaft 2004, Fraunhofer IRB, Stuttgart.
9. Edwards J.B., McKinnon A.C., Cullinane S.L. Comparative analysis of the carbon footprints of conventional and online retailing: a 'last mile' perspective. Int. J. Phys. Distrib. Logist. Manag. 2010, 40(1/2):103-123.
10. Elliot S. Transdisciplinary perspectives on environmental sustainability: a resource base and framework for IT-enabled business transformation. MIS Q. 2011, 35(1):197-236.
11. Emblemsvåg J., Bras B. LCA comparability and the waste index. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 1999, 4(5):282-290.
12. Fettke P. "State-of-the-Art des State-of-the-Art Eine Untersuchung der Forschungsmethode" Review " innerhalb der Wirtschaftsinformatik". Wirtsch. 2006, 48:257-266.
13. Finnveden G., Hauschild M.Z., Ekvall T., Guinée J., Heijungs R., Hellweg S., Koehler A., et al. Recent developments in life cycle assessment. J.Environ. Manag. 2009, 91(1):1-21. Elsevier Ltd.
14. Guinée J.B., Gorrée M., Heijungs R., Huppes G., Kleijn R., Koning A.de, Oers L.van, et al. Handbook on Life Cycle Assessment - Operational Guide to the ISO Standards 2002, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.
15. Häuslein A., Hedemann J. Die Bilanzierungssoftware Umberto und mögliche Einsatzgebiete. Stoffstromanalysen in Ökobilanzen und Öko-Audits 1995, 59-78. M. Schmidt, A. Schorb (Eds.).
16. Hevner A.R., March S.T., Park J., Ram S. Design science in information systems research. MIS Q. 2004, 28(1):75-105.
17. Hilty L., Lohmann W. An annotated bibliography of conceptual frameworks in ICT for sustainability. First International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Sustainability 2013.
18. Hilty L.M., Arnfalk P., Erdmann L., Goodman J., Lehmann M., Wäger P.a. The relevance of information and communication technologies for environmental sustainability - a prospective simulation study. Environ. Model. Softw. 2006, 21(11):1618-1629.
19. IEC Letter Symbols to be Used in Electrical Technology - Part 3: Logarithmic and Related Quantities, and Their Units (IEC 60027-3) 2002, International Electrotechnical Commission.
20. IEC Letter Symbols to Be Used in Electrical Technology - Part 2: Telecommunications and Electronics (IEC 60027-2) 2005, International Electrotechnical Commission.
21. Iriarte A., Rieradevall J., Gabarrell X. Life cycle assessment of sunflower and rapeseed as energy crops under Chilean conditions. J.Clean. Prod. 2010, 18(4):336-345.
22. ISO Environmental Management - Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and Framework (ISO 14040) 2006, vol. 2006. International Organization for Standardization.
23. ISO Quantities and Units - Part 3: Space and Time (ISO 80000-3) 2006, International Organization for Standardization.
24. Jabri S., Koursi E.M., Bourdeaud'huy T., Lemaire E. European railway traffic management system validation using UML/Petri nets modelling strategy. Eur. Transp. Res. Rev. 2010, 2(2):113-128.
25. Jenkin T.a., Webster J., McShane L. An agenda for 'Green' information technology and systems research. Inf. Organ. 2011, 21(1):17-40. Elsevier Ltd.
26. Jiménez-González C., Kim S., Overcash M.R. Methodology for developing gate-to-gate life cycle inventory information. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 2000, 5(3):153-159.
27. Klöpffer W., Grahl B. Ökobilanz (LCA): Ein Leitfaden für Ausbildung und Beruf 2009, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. first ed.
28. Levasseur A., Lesage P., Margni M., Samson R. Biogenic carbon and temporary storage addressed with dynamic life cycle assessment. J.Ind. Ecol. 2013, 17(1):117-128.
29. Liu C.H., Lin S.J., Lewis C. Life cycle assessment of DRAM in Taiwan's semiconductor industry. J.Clean. Prod. 2010, 18(5):419-425.
30. Maga D., Hiebel M., Knermann C. Comparison of two ICT solutions: desktop PC versus thin client computing. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 2012, No. online first. http://www.springerlink.com/index/10.1007/s11367-0.
31. March S.T., Smith G.F. Design and natural science research on information technology. Decis. Support Syst. 1995, 15(4):251-266.
32. Melville N. Information systems innovation for environmental sustainability. MIS Q. 2010, 34(1):1-21.
33. Mirabella N., Rigamonti L., Scalbi S. Life cycle assessment of information and communication technology application: a case study of dematerialization in the Italian public administration. J.Clean. Prod. 2013, 44:115-122.
34. Moberg Å., Borggren C., Finnveden G. Books from an environmental perspective - part 2: e-books as an alternative to paper books. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 2011, 16(3):238-246.
35. Moberg Å., Finnveden G., Johansson J., Lind P. Life cycle assessment of energy from solid waste-part 2: landfilling compared to other treatment methods. J.Clean. Prod. 2005, 13(3):231-240.
36. Moberg Å., Johansson M., Finnveden G., Jonsson A. Printed and tablet e-paper newspaper from an environmental perspective - a screening life cycle assessment. Environ. Impact Assess. Rev. 2010, 30(3):177-191.
37. Möller A., Rolf A. Methodische Ansätze zur Erstellung von Stoffstromanalysen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Petri-Netzen. Stoffstromanalysen in Ökobilanzen und Öko-Audits 1995, Springer Verlag. M. Schmidt, A. Schorb (Eds.).
38. Murata T. Petri nets: properties, analysis and applications. Proc. IEEE 1989, 77(4):541-580.
39. Nidumolu R., Prahalad C.K., Rangaswami M.R. Why sustainability is now the key driver of innovation. Harv. Bus. Rev. 2009, 87(9):56-64.
40. Österle H., Otto B. Consortium research. Bus. Inf. Syst. Eng. 2010, 2(5):283-293.
41. Pal S.K. 21st century information technology revolution. Ubiquity 2008, 9(24).
42. Peffers K., Tuunanen T., Rothenberger M.a., Chatterjee S. Adesign science research methodology for information systems research. J.Manag. Inf. Syst. 2007, 24(3):45-77.
43. Rigamonti L., Grosso M., Giugliano M. Life cycle assessment of sub-units composing a MSW management system. J.Clean. Prod. 2010, 18(16-17):1652-1662.
44. Rowley J., Slack F. Conducting a literature review. Manag. Res. News 2004, 27(6):31-39.
45. Taylor C., Koomey J.G. Estimating Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Internet Advertising 2008, Available at:, (accessed 28.11.12.). http://energy.lbl.gov/EA/emills/commentary/docs/carbonemissions.pdf.
46. Vom Brocke J., Buddendick C. Reusable conceptual models-requirements based on the design science research paradigm. Conference on Design Science Research 2006.
47. Vom Brocke J., Seidel S., Recker J. "Green Business Process Management" 2012, 3-13. Green Business Process Management, Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York.
48. Vom Brocke J., Simons A., Niehaven B., Riemer K., Plattfaut R., Cleven A. Reconstructing the giant: on the importance of rigour in documenting the literature search process. Proceedings of the 17th European Conference on Information Systems 2009.
49. Watson R.T., Corbett J., Boudreau M.C., Webster J. An information strategy for environmental sustainability. Commun. ACM 2012, 55(7):28.
50. Watson R.T., Lind M., Haraldson S. The Emergence of Sustainability as the New Dominant Logic: Implications for Information Systems 2012, ICIS.
51. Weber C.L. Uncertainty and variability in product carbon footprinting. J.Ind. Ecol. 2012, 16(2):203-211.
52. Weber C.L., Koomey J.G., Matthews H. The Energy and Climate Change Impacts of Different Music Delivery Methods - Final Report to Microsoft 2009, Available at:, (accessed 27.11.12). http://download.intel.com/pressroom/pdf/cdsvsdownl.
53. Webster J., Watson T. Analyzing the past to prepare for the future: writing a literature review. MIS Q. 2002, 26(2):13-23.
54. Xie M., Li L., Qiao Q., Sun Q., Sun T. Acomparative study on milk packaging using life cycle assessment: from PA-PE-Al laminate and polyethylene in China. J.Clean. Prod. 2011, 19(17-18):2100-2106.
55. Yi L., Thomas H.R. Areview of research on the environmental impact of e-business and ICT. Environ. Int. 2007, 33(6):841-849.
56. Ziegler F., Winther U., Hognes E.S., Emanuelsson A., Sund V., Ellingsen H. The carbon footprint of Norwegian seafood products on the global seafood market. J.Ind. Ecol. 2013, 17(1):103-116.