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The ISR group combines methods from informatics, environmental science, social sciences, and technology assessment to explore how digital technologies can be designed and applied to make targeted contributions to Sustainable Development. This interdisciplinary research field is also known as "ICT for Sustainability (ICT4S)" or "sustainable digitalisation" and is getting increasing media attention. Our scientific contribution to the development of this field is documented by the published results.
Our projects are structured in four thematic clusters:
The digital transformation is changing our patterns of production and consumption. How can we assess these changes with regard to sustainable production and consumption? And how can we support the societal discourse on opportunities and risks of digital technologies?
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Pathways to Sufficiency (with Hamasil Stiftung and ZKSD Zurich Knowledge Center for Sustainable Development), 2022–2024 Contact: Jeannette Behringer |
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The Digital Sharing Economy and Sustainability, 2018–2023 |
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D4S Digitalisation for Sustainability (with TU Berlin et al., Bosch Foundation), 2020–2022 |
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Auswirkungen digitaler Produkte auf den Klimaschutz (with SWICO, Swisscleantech), 2022 |
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Next generation mobile networks – Problem or solution for climate protection? (with Empa, Swisscom, Swisscleantech), 2020 |
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Wenn Algorithmen für uns entscheiden: die Herausforderungen der künstlichen Intelligenz (with Markus Christen, Clemens Mader, Empa, et al.; TA-SWISS), 2018–2020 |
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Using a Time Use Approach to Understand the Impact of Digitalization on the Energy Intensity of Lifestyles, 2016–2020 |
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Opportunities and Risks of Digitalization for Climate Protection in Switzerland (with WWF, Swisscom), 2017 |
Final report |
Computer-based modelling and simulation methods have been used for decades to improve the understanding of complex systems, from early socio-economic "System Dynamics" models to models of social metabolism (Material-Flow Analysis, MFA) and Agent-Based Models (ABM). How can we apply and improve these methods to support education, systems thinking and decision-making for sustainability?
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Agent-Based Modelling of the Diffusion of Food-Safety Related Information Among Smallholder Farmers in Tanzania (ZKSD Zurich Knowledge Center for Sustainable Development), 2022–2024 Contact: Matthias Huss |
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Post-fossil Cities: Developing a simulation game to find pathways to the post-fossil Swiss city (SNF NRP 73, with Empa, NTNU Trondheim, UCS Zurich), 2018–2022 |
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An Agent-based Model of Wood Markets in Switzerland (SNF NRP 66, with Stefan Holm, Empa and WSL), 2012–2018
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DPMFA: Dynamic Probabilistic Material Flow Modelling (with Nikolaus Bornhöft, Empa), 2012–2017 |
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Computational frameworks to increase effectiveness and efficiency of data collection in Life Cycle Assessment (with Jürgen Reinhard, Empa), 2012-2017 |
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Exploring the Effects of ICT on Environmental Sustainability: From Life Cycle Assessment to Complex Systems Modeling (with Mohammad Achachlouei, KTH Stockholm), 2011-2015
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Data and software tools supporting discourse and decision-making provide great opportunities for sustainable development. How can we exploit bid data, machine learning and interactive tools for sustainable development?
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LOTA: Landscape of Opinions for Technology Assessment – A method and a software tool to support participatory Technology Assessment processes (with Clemens Mader, Empa, and David Pinezich), 2019–2023 Contact: Lorenz Hilty |
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SafeConsume: Change consumer behavior to reduce exposure to hazards and decrease risk through effective and convenient tools and products, information strategies, education, and inclusive food safety policy (EU Horizon 2020, with 32 partners in 14 countries), 2018–2022 |
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Food Price Volatility: Political Causes, Effects on Hunger and Poverty, Sustainable Solutions (SNIS, with CCRS, ETHZ, Helvetas, University of Berne, UN-FAO, DEZA), 2016 |
Digital technologies have made enormous progress in energy efficiency and miniaturization. Because the ICT sector has been growing even faster than the resource efficiency of its technology, the overall footprint of data centers, network infrastructure and end-user devices is still increasing in term of energy, material resources and CO2 emissions. How can we measure and reduce the footprint of ICT?
| Project | Links |
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LIFESAVING: Extending the lifespan of mobile devices (NRP 73, with ZHAW), 01.06.2019–31.08.2022 |
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Sources of Variation in the Life Cycle Assessment of Smartphones and Tablets (with Louis-Philippe Clément and Quentin Jacquemotte, University of Namur), 2018–2020 |
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Sustainable Software Design: Developing Criteria for Resource-efficient Software (with Leuphana University of Lüneburg, University of Applied Sciences Trier, German Environment Agency), 2013–2018 |
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Critical Metals in Electronic Equipment: A methodology to model end-user stocks and flows (with Esther Thiébaud, Empa and TU Clausthal), 2012–2017 |
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Green Software: Optimizing software development and deployment for resource conservation (with Empa, IZT Berlin, Borderstep Institute, German Environment Agency), 2012-2015 |
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Measuring the Energy Consumption of the Internet (with Empa, SWITCH, Cisco), 2009–2013 |
