ICT Systems must become more energy-efficient and long-lasting – universities and TIEKE develop new solutions for businesses
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Requirements related to the ecodesign and energy efficiency of ICT equipment will become stricter in the coming years. Energy efficiency, repairability, and long service life will become increasingly important factors in both product development and procurement. At the same time, sustainability, emissions reduction, and energy efficiency are gaining greater importance as decision-making criteria in both the public and private sectors.
To address these changes, the ICT EnergyLife+ project has been launched. The project aims to help companies and organisations develop more energy-efficient, repairable, and long-lasting ICT solutions while strengthening expertise in sustainable procurement practices.
The University of Vaasa is responsible for developing practical expertise and materials within the project under the leadership of Professor Petri Välisuo. The work builds on research conducted in the university’s earlier WSTAR project and utilises the research and development environment provided by the data center located on the University of Vaasa campus.
Solutions for reducing energy consumption
The University of Vaasa’s contribution focuses particularly on the operational energy consumption of ICT systems.
– The project addresses ICT sustainability as a whole, but the University of Vaasa is particularly focused on energy consumption during system operation. ICT systems already account for 2 to 4 percent of all energy produced, and their energy consumption is growing faster than that of other sectors, says Professor Petri Välisuo.
The project develops methods for reducing the energy consumption of information systems through optimisation. The goal is to identify the energy consumption profiles and utilisation rates of hardware and use this information to improve the energy efficiency of entire systems.
– We are developing methods to reduce energy consumption by optimising information systems. This includes, for example, designing an optimal division of workload between end-user devices and servers. Our research is linked to the WSTAR data center research environment, where we can investigate the energy efficiency of server hardware and the software running on it, Välisuo explains.
Expertise and networks for the Ostrobothnia region
During the project, participants will be offered training, guides, practical tools, pilot projects, and networking opportunities. The aim is to strengthen organisations’ capabilities to meet future requirements and promote sustainable ICT development.
– There are already several Green ICT projects and clusters in the Uusimaa region, so it is excellent that similar development activities and expertise can now also be strengthened in the Vaasa and Ostrobothnia region, says Project Manager Camilla Wahlberg.
The project's first event will be held in October 2026. The project is particularly relevant for organisations that design, develop, maintain, or procure ICT solutions.
Tietolaatikko
Further information
The ICT EnergyLife+ project is co-funded by the European Union. Funding has been granted through the Regional Council of Uusimaa and the Regional Council of Ostrobothnia. The project is coordinated by Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, and the project partners are TIEKE Finnish Information Society Development Centre, the University of Vaasa, and LUT University. The project will run from 1 March 2026 to 31 May 2028.