online tutorial

Sustainable computing in science

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An introduction to the environmental impacts of computational research

DOI: DOI:10.6019/TOL.sustainable-computing-intro-t.2026.00001.1

Licence: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Keywords: bioinformatics, carbon footprint, computational research, environmental impact, green computing, sustainable computing

Competency level: • Beginner

Target audience: Students and researchers in academic and industry settings involved in computational work; anyone interested in the environmental impact of computing

Resource type: online tutorial

Version: 1.0

Status: Active

Prerequisites:

No prior knowledge of computing infrastructure required

Learning objectives:

  • Describe the limits of calculators and unintended negative impacts of optimisation such as rebound effects
  • Describe the principles behind estimating the carbon footprint of an analysis
  • Discuss initiatives in the field of green computing and the challenges it faces
  • Discuss the environmental impacts associated with computing
  • Identify suitable, available tools for estimating the footprint of an analysis
  • Recall the different types of impacts research can have

Date modified: 2026-01-01

Authors: Loic Lannelongue, Flaminia Zane

Contributors: Cambridge Sustainable Computing Lab, Wellcome Trust Foundation, University of Cambridge, EMBL-EBI Training

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