By Intel’s Gary Niekerk for the Business Civic Leadership Center “Today, businesses are using their passion for innovation to develop and build new technologies that can address some of the world’s most pressing environmental and sustainability challenges. For example, the development and application of “smart” technologies to manage buildings, transportation systems, manufacturing, health care, retail, and many others may help significantly reduce emissions and energy use. A report by the Climate Group (The Climate Group, 2008) and Global Sustainability Initiative concludes that better use of information technology (IT) has the potential to reduce worldwide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 7.8 gigatons by the year 2020. This savings represents 15% of global GHG emissions, and in economic terms translates into saving nearly $950 billion in costs.
Ubiquitous, connected computing and information technologies can improve our lives and our environment. Computer-aided design and integrated, pervasive smart technologies have made cars 40% more efficient and allowed us to create buildings that have the potential to be carbon neutral. Complex computer-generated algorithms and high-performance computational models can tell airlines which routes and flight patterns are most efficient to save passenger time and fuel and can enable scientists to make more accurate climate and weather predictions. Data collection, analysis, and modeling can enable researchers to track changes in the ocean currents and chemistry and understand their effects on sea life and the coral reefs.”
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