the emerging role of technology and information systems catherine dwyer associate professor and...

The Emerging Role of Technology and Information SystemsCatherine DwyerAssociate Professor and ChairDepartment of Information TechnologySeidenberg School of Computer Science & Information SystemsPace University 1

Humans and Natural World• World Commission

on Environment (1987) concluded that humans are damaging the environment, that current activities are not sustainable.

• Where are we 27 years later? 2

Super Storm Sandy

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We are at a critical turning point

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1941

2004

The Retreat of Muir Glacier, in Alaska

5Lake Mead, NV. White rings on canyon walls mark the drop in the water table for this critical reservoir.

Definition of sustainability• “development that meets the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” – World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

• Sustainability is a type of resource management problem• Need to carefully manage energy, air, water, and toxic

materials• Improved information resources lead to better decisions

and greater efficiency

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Green Information Systems Concepts and Principles

• What is IS?• What is Green IS?• How does IS perspective contribute to

managing sustainability?

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What is IS?• Information is a

critical resource (historical trends, real time assessment)

• Management of information requires a broad perspective

• Need to think about the problem from more than one perspective

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What is Green IS?

• The goal of Green IS is to build systems that collect and organize information that enables most efficient use of resources

• Examples:• Dynamically route of vehicles to avoid traffic and

minimize energy consumption (UPS). • Enable sharing of transportation resources (ZipCar).• Monitor emissions and waste products to manage

them more effectively.

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Green IS mediates and enables• By providing information, analysis and representation of

complex relationships, Green IS can act as a mediator or influencer with respect to energy consumption choices

• Example: Smart grid• By calculating scenarios to maximize the use of specific

resources (air, water, energy) and minimize waste (emissions, carbon)

• Examples: Green logistics, green supply chain management, green sourcing management

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The Synergy Between IS and Sustainability

• The IS perspective offers a holistic approach to Sustainability

• Must recognize 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 identify workable solutions• Interoperability• Green HCI

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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 12Ethanol distillery, Piracicaba, São

Paulo State.

‘Green HCI’• It is much easier to

monitor Facebook activity than daily energy use

• ‘Green HCI’ – create information interface that are clear and intuitive

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Standard meter

Smart meter

What does all this mean?

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Embed ‘Green’ Behavior in a Social Context (OPOWER)

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16Ford Fusion dashboard uses leaves to signal green driving habits

Design and Aesthetics

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Solid Waste Transfer and Recycling Facility, Phoenix, Arizona, 1993

Wakodahatchee Wetlands

18Each day, the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department’s Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility pumps approximately two million gallons of highly treated water into the Wakodahatchee Wetlands.

IS and the environment• Need multiple approaches to tackle the problem of

sustainability• Information is a critical resource in this effort• We can use existing IT infrastructure (Internet, smart phones

and tablets) to collect information on the use of resources• Use that information to influence efficient resource

consumption choices

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Green IS Reading & Videos• Watson, Richard; Boudreau, Marie-Claude (2011-08-16).

Energy Informatics. Green ePress.

• UPS and Green Logistics - http://thenewlogistics.ups.com/sustainable-business/environmental-stewardship/

• Save and Grow - A guide to sustainable crop production http://www.fao.org/ag/save-and-grow/

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