Abstract

Reducing the life cycle emissions of connected devices is essential for mitigating their environmental impact as their proliferation accelerates. These devices, including consumer electronics and Internet of Things (IoT) systems, contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, with their use phase often dominating their overall environmental footprint due to high electricity consumption. Data centers, IoT edge devices, and semiconductor logic chips exemplify how operational energy use can surpass manufacturing emissions, highlighting the need for energy-efficient designs. Implementing eco-design principles, optimizing communication protocols, and integrating low-power components can enhance sustainability. This paper explores decarbonization strategies for the use phase of connected devices through four key principles: 1) enabling better measurement, 2) energy efficiency, 3) renewable energy matching, and 4) carbon offsets. It also examines the need to update carbon footprint methodologies to incorporate real-time energy monitoring, enhancing the accuracy of emissions reporting and facilitating targeted interventions for reducing environmental impact.