US-China Collaborations in
Computer Science and Sustainability
Green IT Discussion Group Report
Kirk W. Cameron (Virginia Tech)
Jason Cong, (UCLA)
Kirk Pruhs, (University of Pittsburgh)
Rebecca Wright (Rutgers University)
Zhiwei Xu (Chinese Academy of Sciences)
Green IT Challenges
• Measurement
– Quantifying Sustainability (IT Metrics)
– Capturing scale, rapid growth of IT
– Capturing cradle to grave impact of IT
• Optimization
– Cost/benefit analyses (complexity theory)
– Gauge societal, policy impact
• Education
– Lack of understanding of IT impact on energy use
– Corporations, students, politicians, etc.
Why US-China Green IT collaborations?
• IT often designed in US, manufactured in China
• Top 2 countries in energy consumption
– Potentially largest environmental impact
• Among top countries in PC/server/mobile use
– Potentially largest IT energy use impact
• Among top countries in PC/server/mobile growth
– Sustainability in question, challenge for both
US-sponsored Collaboration in China
• US Green IT research opportunities in China
– Extensive field-study capabilities
– Low barrier to scaled deployments
– Tremendous opportunities in IT manufacturing
• Potential Examples
– Cradle to grave design, manufacture, disposal
– Measuring societal impact of IT (scale, growth)
– Supercomputer (data center) IT impact study