Why this matters to you
Energy efficiency, ecodesign, repairability and longer product lifetimes are becoming increasingly important competitive advantages for businesses and purchasing criteria for organisations.
These developments are driven by EU and Finnish climate policies, as well as tightening regulation under the Ecodesign Regulation. Product-specific requirements for ICT devices begin to take effect as early as 2027. In addition, standardisation bodies are preparing updates to energy-efficiency standards that are expected to introduce stricter requirements.
A lack of expertise and practical guidance remains a challenge
Despite ambitious climate goals, progress in implementing EU and Finnish climate objectives within the ICT sector has been slow. Markets are not yet moving quickly enough towards more sustainable solutions.
Manufacturers of ICT devices and components, design agencies and software developers often lack the knowledge, practical tools and guidance needed to significantly reduce energy consumption and emissions.
Similarly, organisations procuring new ICT devices do not always have the expertise needed to ensure that energy efficiency is fully considered in procurement processes and purchasing decisions.
As a result, the use of ecodesign practices across the sector remains fragmented.
The new Green ICT project ICT EnergyLife+ aims to change this.
Practical resources tailored to different target groups
The project’s main target groups include ICT device manufacturers and suppliers, design and product development organisations, software companies, public procurement organisations and large user organisations located in the Helsinki-Uusimaa region.
ICT EnergyLife+ provides these groups with new knowledge and practical tools for developing energy-efficient, low-emission, repairable and long-lasting ICT devices and software. The project strengthens expertise in ecodesign, energy-efficiency measurement and sustainable procurement practices.
For businesses, this means better preparedness for upcoming EU requirements, stronger capabilities to develop competitive products, and new opportunities arising from the green transition. Procurement organisations will gain tools and guidance for purchasing energy-efficient ICT devices, helping to create more sustainable markets.
Bringing the entire ICT value chain together
The unique value of ICT EnergyLife+ is that it brings together expertise from across the entire ICT value chain for the first time. This includes industrial design, software development, energy measurement, procurement process development, procurement criteria development and extensive industry networks.
By combining these areas of expertise, solutions can be developed simultaneously for ICT device design, use and procurement. The project also promotes modular, repairable and long-lasting device solutions that help reduce both energy consumption and the need for new devices.
Benefits for target groups
- Better preparedness for future ecodesign and energy-efficiency requirements
- Practical tools for developing energy-efficient, repairable and long-lasting ICT solutions
- New expertise in sustainable ICT procurement
- Opportunities to participate in pilots and co-creation activities
- Improved competitiveness and new business opportunities through enhanced skills and knowledge
Key activities and outputs
The project will produce:
- Visual and practical ecodesign guidelines for product designers
- A database of energy consumption profiles for common ICT devices
- A prototype application for monitoring device utilisation, including both device-specific and web-based monitoring
- A methodology and report for assessing the energy consumption of hardware and software, together with assessment results from selected examples
- A report on ICT system optimisation and its application in a pilot case
- Example models, prototypes and pilot solutions demonstrating modularity requirements and implementation in product design
- Workshops and company interviews to identify current practices and development needs among design and manufacturing companies, together with a publication summarising findings and recommendations
- An assessment of whether ICT procurement criteria in Motiva’s national criteria bank comply with the Ecodesign Regulation and how usable those criteria are in practice
- A procurement process model developed together with procurement organisations
- Webinar training sessions on the use of ICT procurement criteria
- A proactive market dialogue examining both buyers’ ability to use procurement criteria and suppliers’ ability to meet them, together with a report on the results
- A pilot carried out with procurement organisations using service design methods
- A publication evaluating the project’s impact based on baseline and final surveys
Subscribe to our newsletter
Would you like to stay informed about the ICT EnergyLife+ project and news and events related to sustainable ICT in general? Subscribe to the Green ICT newsletter here! Please note that the newsletter is in Finnish.
Green ICT guides and tools in one place
ICT EnergyLife+ is one of several Green ICT projects. All materials produced through Green ICT projects are made available through the Green ICT Portal maintained by TIEKE. Please note that not all materials are published in English.
Sources used in preparing this text include the Finnish Energy Authority, ecodesigninfo.fi, Nature, Global E-waste Monitor, Market.us, The Business Research Company (TBRC) and Precedence Research.
ICT EnergyLife+: Energy Efficiency and Emission Reductions in the Lifecycle of ICT Devices through Ecodesign
The Green ICT project ICT EnergyLife+ supports the ICT sector’s green transition and helps organisations prepare for emerging regulatory requirements by reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions throughout the lifecycle of ICT devices. The project strengthens expertise in ecodesign and energy efficiency while developing sustainable procurement criteria and processes. It also promotes the adoption of longer-lasting, more repairable and more energy-efficient ICT solutions.
For target groups, the project delivers practical guidance materials, tools, training, pilots and peer-learning opportunities.
Project duration
1 March 2026 – 31 May 2028
Project partners
The project is coordinated by Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. Project partners are LUT University, TIEKE Finnish Information Society Development Centre, and the University of Vaasa.
Funding
The project is co-funded by the European Union. Funding has been granted through the Regional Council of Helsinki-Uusimaa and the Regional Council of Ostrobothnia.
More information
- Project Manager Antti Sipilä, TIEKE
