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Green Technology Strategies Postgraduate Studies
Registration can be made at any time until 17 January 2010. Study Period 1 runs from 24 January to 24 April 2010. Charges will not be made until early January 2010. The Australian Computer Society offers ACS members and non members an opportunity to undertake postgraduate study in one of our specialist subjects Green Technology Strategies from the Computer Professional Education Program. The CPe Program consists of three core and one elective subject. Our elective subjects are normally the last subject undertaken in the CPE Program, unless it is undertaken as a stand-alone subject. Green Technology Strategies (Green IT or Green Computing) is the study and practice of using computers and telecommunications in a way which maximises positive environmental benefit and minimise the negative impact. The energy efficiency of operating equipment is a major concern of Green Technology Strategies. The embodied energy and lifecycle of the materials used in the design, manufacture and reuse and recycling of equipment and components are also concerns. Green Technology Strategies seeks to inform accepted management practises to achieve efficient and effective business interaction. LEARNING OUTCOMES Green Technology Strategies is an emerging discipline. This subject is drawn from practices being developed in the public and private sectors in Australia and internationally. Implementation methodologies and assessment tools currently being field-tested are introduced. At the completion of this subject the student can: - Estimate the carbon footprint of the ICT operations of an organisation,
- Assess ways to reduce the carbon footprint of an organisation, by changes to polices for procurement of ICT, changes to the ICT operations and revising business processes.
Competencies based on Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) The Skills Framework for the Information Age ( SFIA) provides a common reference model for the identification of the skills needed to develop effective Information Systems (IS) making use of Information & Communications Technology (ICT). Green ICT Strategies will target SIFA Level 5 competencies: " ensure, advise: Broad direction, supervisory, objective setting responsibility. Influences organisation. Challenging and unpredictable work. Self sufficient in business skills". With the following skills: Category/Subcategory/Skill Strategy & planning Technical strategy and planning Emerging technology monitoring: The identification of new and emerging hardware, software and communication technologies, products, methods and techniques and the assessment of their relevance and potential value to the organisation. Methods and tools: Ensuring that appropriate methods and tools for the planning, development, operation, management and maintenance of systems are adopted and used effectively throughout the organisation. Business/IS strategy and planning Business process improvement: The identification of new and alternative approaches to performing business activities. The analysis of business processes, including recognition of the potential for automation of the processes, assessment of the costs and potential benefits of the new approaches considered and, where appropriate, management of change and assistance with implementation. Strategic Application of Information Systems (Enterprise Architecture): The development or review of an information systems strategy to support an organisation’s business goals and the development of plans to drive forward and manage that strategy. Working with others to embed the strategic management of information systems as part of the management of the organisation. Procurement & management support Supply management Procurement: The management of, or provision of advice on, the procurement of goods and services. Quality management Compliance audit: The independent, third-party assessment of the conformity of any activity, process, deliverable, product or service with the criteria of specified standards, such as BS EN ISO 9000/14000, local standards, best practice or other documented requirements. May relate to, for example, asset management, network security tools, firewalls and Internet security, real-time systems and application design. Pre-requisites, Co-requisites Content The course consists of four major topics (modules) each with three sub-topics, one topic per week, with a week at the end for review: 1. Politics, Science and Business of Sustainability Objective: Investigate the principles of environmental sustainability and the science of climate change. Learn how to estimate the carbon footprint of ICT systems. Look at methods to reduce the footprint both of ICT systems directly and of other systems by using ICT. Week 1: Introduction to Green ICT Strategies Understand environmental, social and business context for sustainability, and overview of background, boundaries. Investigate the principles of environmental sustainability and the science of climate change. Week 2: The Global ICT Footprint Estimate the embodied carbon and the footprint from use of telecommunications, data centres and desktop PCs. Week 3: Enabling ICT: Dematerialisation, smart motor systems, logistics, buildings and grids. Investigate how ICT systems can reduce energy and materials use by improving the efficiency of business systems by replacing the movement of goods with information (dematerialisation), improve the efficiency of machines (smart motor systems), logistics, buildings and grids. 2. Technical strategy and planning - Emerging technology monitoring Objective: Identify existing, new and emerging hardware, software and communication technologies for energy saving and materials reuse in ICT,
and relate these technologies to ICT as it is used in organisations. Week 4: Energy saving - Data Centres and Client Equipment Computers and telecommunications equipment contributes about 2% to greenhouse gas emissions. Look at how data centres and client equipment can be made more efficient. Week 5: Materials Use Energy reduction is only part of making a Green ICT system, there is also the issue of use of materials and hazardous substances. How does the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) deal with material use? Week 6: Methods and tools Investigate that appropriate methods and tools for the planning, development, operation, management and maintenance of systems for the organisation. 3. Business/IS strategy and planning Objective: Apply improved ICT technology and practices into organisational processes, strategic planning and management. Incorporate Green ICT in the strategic requirements of the business. Recommend alternative solutions which reduce environmental impact. Week 7: Business process improvement Recommend alternative solutions which reduce environmental impact, assesses feasibility, and recommends new approaches. Week 8: Improving Data Centre Energy Efficiency Investigate how to implement and assess data centre efficiency. Week 9: Enterprise Architecture Contribute to the sustainability of the systems capability strategy, which meets the strategic requirements of the business. Incorporate Green ICT into the models and plans to drive forward the strategy, taking advantage of opportunities to improve business performance, as well as environmental benefits. 4. Procurement & management support Objective: Write green ICT requirement documents for products and services. Ensure that processes meet sustainability and quality standards. Week 10: Procurement Write green ICT requirement documents for products and services.Much of the environmental benefits come about by selecting the right products and services. How do you ensure that your hardware, software and services suppliers provide green products? Week 11: Energy Star Program and Quality Management Ensure that the processes for producing a product or service sustainability will do so to a consistent standard. Investigate the fit between Green ICT requirements and those of Quality Management Systems. Week 12: Compliance audit: Assess the conformity of systems to environmental standards, such as ISO 14000 series of environment management standards, Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), and Energy Star Program. 5. Week 13: Review and discussion for assignment 2 Objective: Let us revisit the reasons we are studying Green ICT: to maximise positive environmental benefit and minimises negative impact. What specific processes will you propose in Assignment 2, to improve energy efficiency and the use of materials in your organisation? Assessment consists of two subjects plus participation in discussion forums. This subject is delivered by online. – No classrooms, just e-learning techniques, plus tutor and peer-to-peer interaction. Improve your career and employment opportunities with further study – move to senior IT roles. Single subjects can be taken individually and can be credited towards completion of the Computer Professional Education Program upon enrolment. (Entry requirements must be met). For more information on Green Technology Strategies subject click here For more information on Green Technology Strategies email pam.barnes@acs.org.au, or call 1800 671 003 (freecall within Australia). NOTE: DUE TO LOW ENROLMENTS THIS SUBJECT WILL NOT BE OFFERED IN STUDY PERIOD 1, 2010. WE APOLOGISE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THIS MAY CAUSE AND WILL RE-OPEN ENROLMENTS FOR STUDY PERIOD 2, 2010 IN FEBRUARY, 2010. Registration can be made at any time until 9 May 2010. Study Period 2 runs from 16 May to 14 August 2010. Charges will not be made until early May 2010. Note: This elective will be offered if sufficient enrolments are received.
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