Socio-technical Analysis and Environmental Sustainability

Socio-technical Analysis and
Environmental Sustainability
Catherine Dwyer, PhD.
Pace University
New York

Abstract
 The past 100 years has seen a rapid increase in global
population, along with escalating consumption of finite
resources, such as clean water, energy, and raw
materials. The multiple forces of population growth and
rapid resource depletion have created a ‘wicked’ problem
that MUST be tackled. The term ‘wicked’ refers to
problems with complex interdependencies and multiple
conflicting elements. It is my argument that the socio-
technical approach to understanding complexity with
Information Systems can be applied to discovering and
evaluating efforts to support environmental sustainability.
SIGGreen Virtual workshop - Nov. 12th

We are at a critical turning point
1941
2004
The Retreat of Muir
Glacier, in Alaska

Record rains cause mudslides in Rio De
Janeiro, April 2010

Desperate efforts to obtain petroleum
Gulf of
Mexico
Oil
Disaster,
April
2010

Reaching limits of Nine Planetary
Boundaries
‘A safe operating space for
humanity,’
Nature, September 2009
“We estimate that
humanity has already
transgressed three
planetary boundaries:
for climate
change, rate of
biodiversity loss, and
changes to the global
nitrogen cycle.”

How IS Can Impact Sustainability
 “We propose the IS community must
engage in the development of
environmentally sustainable business practices.
As IS researchers, educators, journal
editors, and association leaders, we need
to demonstrate how the transformative
power of IS can be leveraged to create an
ecologically sustainable society.”
 Watson, R. T., Boudreau, M.-C., & Chen, A. J. (2010). Information Systems
and Environmentally Sustainable Development: Energy Informatics and
New Directions for the IS Community. MIS Quarterly

The Synergy Between IS and
Sustainability
 The IS skill set ports over directly to Sustainability
 We (IS) analyze 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
encourage workable solutions
 Sustainability requirements analysis
 Socio-technical systems
 Supply chain planet earth
 Interoperability
 Distributed systems

IS Concept: 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.
 For example, Brazil is the leader in the use of flex-fuel,
this concept can be extended to many other kinds of
systems

IS and Brasil: Global Leaders for
Sustainability
 Brazil is a global leader in
renewable energy sources
(hydropower and ethanol)
 Not just talk – in Brazil, it
works!
 Solution depended on
interaction of technology
(flex-fuel engines),
agriculture (ethanol), and
public policy (ban of
gasoline-only vehicles)
 This model works, and we
need to deploy it around
the globe
Ethanol distillery, Piracicaba, São
Paulo State.

IS Concept: Distributed versus
Centralized
 advantages and disadvantaged of distributed versus
centralized computing systems
 Advantage of distributed: more flexible, efficient, and
more responsive
 Advantage of centralized: better consistency, quality
assurance, and standardization

Looking at our current electricity power
generation model
Centralized power
plants produce vast
majority of our
electricity.
But centralized
power generation is
very inefficient,
converting only 30%
of energy into
electricity

‘Greener’ Alternative: Distributed power
generation
Distribute multiple,
smaller generators
closer to power
consumers.
Distributed power
captures ‘waste
heat’ and uses it
for other needs
(heating, hot
water), for ~80%
efficiency

Co-generation,
or combined
heat and power
Distributed
energy
generation
allows capture of
waste heat for
re-use

Co-gen project being installed: These
tanks will hold hot water heated as a
by-product of electrical generation

Tanks will replace a NYC apartment
building’s use of 30,000 gallons of
diesel fuel to make hot water

Critical themes for IS and Sustainability
 ‘Green IT’ – Minimize environmental impact of the data
center, and running technology in general
 ‘Green IS’ – sophisticated information systems that
monitor and optimize use of resources
 IS Educators – develop case studies, exercises, and
materials that give students a richer understanding of
intersection of energy policy, technical design, and
individual choices
 Green HCI (next slide)

‘Green HCI’
 It is much easier to
monitor Facebook
activity compared to
daily energy use
 ‘Green HCI’ – provide
clear and actionable
energy consumption
interfaces, that enable
users to minimize
their energy use
Standard
meter
Smart
meter

Meet me in St. Louis!
 The breadth of topics in our virtual workshop validate
the critical role IS can play in support of environmental
sustainability.
 We have the skills and the duty to work together to
improve sustainable practices
 Next up: Pre-ICIS SIGGreen Workshop Dec. 11th

Socio-technical Analysis and Environmental Sustainability

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