Scientific basis for the «CO2-free» app

The «CO2-free» app makes it possible to determine a person’s digital greenhouse gas balance. Personalized data is read directly from a smartphone. The app then shows users how they can reduce emissions. In a second step, it is possible to offset the balance directly via the app. The aim is to create awareness regarding the ecological consequences of one’s own behavior and to encourage a more climate-conscious use of digital companions. The team that developed the application is attempting to make the energy consumption associated with cloud storage or mo-bile data more transparent for a large audience.

Intep is developing the scientific foundation for this tool, as well as a conceptual approach for implementation. The work is based on ISO 14040/44, which regulates the preparation of a life cy-cle assessment. The project has been created within the framework of a master thesis. The focus is on the question of how the ecological impact of individual digital products can be measured based on real-time data from a smartphone.