The AI boom is transforming our digital infrastructure at unprecedented speed. But what does this rapid development mean for energy consumption, water use, raw materials, and the overall environmental footprint of data centers?

Drawing on Fraunhofer IZM’s research into the environmental impact of information and communication technologies, the session by Dr. Lutz Stobbe will explore how Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can help quantify environmental impacts and, more importantly, identify the technical and operational factors behind them.

What to expect - In just 45 minutes, you will gain insights into:

The AI boom: Economic developments and forecasts
Energy, water and raw materials: Key environmental challenges associated with data centers
Life Cycle Assessment: Methods for analyzing environmental impacts, including an exemplary assessment of a high-performance server system
Hardware eco-efficiency: Environmental considerations related to hardware systems and manufacturing
Data center operation: The role of hardware utilization and operation in improving eco-efficiency

Why join?

As AI continues to drive demand for computing infrastructure, understanding its environmental implications is becoming increasingly important.

This session offers a compact research-based perspective on the techno-economic and ecological developments behind the AI boom and provides insights into how the environmental impact of data centers can be assessed and better understood.

Part of our Expert Session Series

This session kicks off the three-part series “The Role of Small Microelectronics and AI Giga Centers: What You Need to Know About Recent Green Electronics Trends.”

The series provides updates and insights into Fraunhofer IZM’s research on the environmental impacts of electronics, from AI data centers and greener electronics hardware to more comparable product carbon footprints.

Upcoming sessions:

October 27, 2026
Drive Towards Greener Electronics Hardware for Competitiveness
Dr. Nils Nissen

November 13, 2026
The Need for Standardization of Environmental Assessments in the Electronics Industry (PCR)
Karsten Schischke & Dr. Chris Eckstein

At a glance
Date: October 13 - November 13, 2026
Time: 4:00-4:45 p.m. CET
Location: Online via Microsoft Teams
Language: English
Participation: Free of charge
Audience: Open to everyone from students to C-level management. Some prior knowledge of environmental assessment, carbon accounting, or electronic components is helpful.

Ready to take a closer look at the environmental footprint behind the AI boom? Join our experts online.

👉 Register for the Expert Session Series: https://www.izm.fraunhofer.de/en/events/green-ict-developments/registration-gree...