35th EDM Workshop: Environmental Impact of Digitalization

Today no company can ignore the sustainability and environmental impact of its products and business. The digitalization of society associated with the proliferation of electronics everywhere implies that electronics is a key element in the environmental impact of a growing number of products, systems, installations and services. This workshop dives into the challenges of assessing the environmental impact of electronics through-out its lifetime.

An Vercalsteren of VITO will introduce the basic elements and the state-of-the-art of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA is generally applied to assess the environmental impact of a product or service over its full life cycle. 

Unfortunately, the actual state-of-the-art of the Life Cycle Assessment and the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) databases, do not allow an accurate assessment of the environmental impact of electronics. Furthermore, the cumbersome nature of LCA severely limits its useability as an eco-design supporting tool. Geert Willems, imec-EDM Forum, will explain how a lean eco-design methodology based on parametric LCI-models may be a workable alternative, also for the SME. The parametric LCI-models provide an answer to the shortcomings of LCI data records as they are used today. Parametric LCI models for PCB manufacturing and Printed Board Assembly will be presented.

Cedric Rollin, imec-SSTS, will discuss the environmental impact of IC manufacturing and the challenges of its impact assessment. Sustainable Semiconductor Technologies and Systems is a new department and research program at imec joined by World leading companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta and several to engage into more sustainable IC manufacturing.

Also the use of electronics for mobile communication, cloud computing, data streaming, machine learning, etc., may contribute significantly to e.g. climate change if not managed properly.  Jean-Pierre Raskin, UCLouvain, will discuss the environmental impact of a digital society in operation.

The workshop will close with a Q&A session followed by a networking opportunity with some alcohol-free drinks and snacks.