{"id":4199,"date":"2025-11-04T14:54:25","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T13:54:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.univ-lorraine.fr\/transition-ecologique\/?page_id=4199"},"modified":"2026-02-10T13:37:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T12:37:47","slug":"responsible-digital-technology","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.univ-lorraine.fr\/transition-ecologique\/en\/responsible-digital-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"Responsible digital technology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The impact of digital technology: a sector that is not so immaterial<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Digital technology refers, on one hand, to the physical aspect<\/strong>, the IT equipment and connected devices that have been manufactured and that we own, and, on the other hand, to how we use them<\/strong>, such as watching videos, sending emails and files, or organizing online meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The impact of digital technology in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is therefore relatively small. However, with the rapid development of energy-intensive AI, the overuse of video, and the increasing reliance on digitalization, ADEME<\/strong> <\/a>estimates that the impact of digital technology could triple by 2050<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this is not the only challenge in this sector. Indeed, digital technology consumes a lot of energy during its use phase<\/strong>, but also significant amounts of water and raw materials<\/strong> during the manufacturing of devices (screens, PCs, phones, etc.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, it is important to note that overall, both at the university and in France, about 80% of the impact of digital technology comes from the manufacturing phase<\/strong>, 19% from usage, and only 1% from end-of-life processes (reuse, recycling, sorting, etc.). Therefore, when discussing responsible digital practices, it is essential to extend the lifespan of devices<\/strong> and align purchases with actual needs<\/strong> to avoid an overabundance of electronic equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital technology at Universit\u00e9 de Lorraine<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Logo<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n
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60 000<\/strong>
students<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 000<\/strong>
teaching and research staff<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 000<\/strong>
administrative staff<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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\"\u00c9quipements<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n
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+ 50 000<\/strong>
connected devices<\/p>\n\n\n\n

+ 10 000
<\/strong>landlines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

+ 70<\/strong>
physical servers<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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\"Document<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n
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+ 130 000<\/strong>
ENT visits per day<\/p>\n\n\n\n

+ 100 00<\/strong>
computer accounts<\/p>\n\n\n\n

+ 13 000<\/strong>
videos<\/p>\n\n\n\n

+ 400<\/strong>
websites<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Source: 2021 equipment carbon footprint audit (excluding data center)<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Universit\u00e9 de Lorraine is committed to responsible digital use<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Given these figures, the university has decided to take action and is committed to optimising its digital footprint<\/strong>. In February 2024, it signed the responsible digital charter<\/strong>. The digital department has already undertaken a number of other initiatives. Among the most significant are the increase in the equipment warranty to a minimum of 5 years<\/strong>, which helps to extend the lifespan of equipment, the use of cold printers that consume 98% less <\/strong>energy than hot printers, and staff awareness campaigns such as the Numeriscore<\/strong>, which enables everyone to become more aware of their impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To sum up, the university’s policy for responsible digital use is based on 5 commitments:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n