Online tutorial
Sustainable computing in science
An introduction to the environmental impacts of computational research
Time to complete:
> 3 hours
This course includes:
Written by:
Last reviewed:
January 2026
All materials are free cultural works licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, except where further licensing details are provided.
Share this course with:
In this course, we will introduce the different ways in which computing infrastructure and activities impact the environment, and in particular, how this relates to scientific research. We will look at how to quantify these impacts and explore the tools available to help us do so. Finally, we will discuss how we can, as researchers or computer users, reduce the footprint of our work, along with the challenges we might face.
Who is this course for?
This course is designed for anyone involved in computational work, from students to researchers in both academic and industry settings. It is also suitable for everyone who is interested in the environmental impact of computing. No prior knowledge of computing infrastructure is required.
This course has been developed in collaboration with the Cambridge Sustainable Computing Lab at the University of Cambridge. It was supported by funding from the Wellcome Trust Foundation and the University of Cambridge.
What will I achieve?
By the end of the course you will be able to:
- Recall the different types of impacts research can have
- Discuss the environmental impacts associated with computing
- Describe the principles behind estimating the carbon footprint of an analysis
- Identify suitable, available tools for estimating the footprint of an analysis
- Describe the limit of calculators and describe unintended negative impacts of optimisation such as rebound effects
- Discuss initiatives that have emerged in the field of green computing, as well as the challenges it faces
DOI:
10.6019/TOL.sustainable-computing-intro-t.2026.00001.1
Course contents
How and when to access the course
All our courses are designed with flexibility in mind. You can access them for free at any time, just click on the “Enter Course” button.
It is up to you how you use the course; you can either study the full course or you can focus on sections that are relevant to you. To jump between sections, use the navigation bar on the left or the arrows at the bottom of the page. You can also choose whether to complete the course in one go, or over several visits.
The average time to read through the main body of the course is 0.5 hours (not including exercises and external links). The time may vary depending on your prior knowledge and how you choose to work through the course.
Making the most of the course
Learning something new takes time and practice. We encourage you to:
- Use the activities and quizzes to help you check your learning, recall and apply key concepts. Look out for these icons:-
|
|
|
Activities
Quizzes
Videos- Revisit sections as and when you need them. Bookmark relevant pages in your browser or use the navigation panel to jump the relevant section.
Getting help and providing feedback
If something isn’t working or if you have a question get in touch by contacting us at trainonline@ebi.ac.uk
Tell us what you thought about the course (both good and bad!) using the “Feedback and help” button found at the top of each page.
Your feedback helps us ensure we are providing training that is relevant and useful for you.
For help and support on EMBL-EBI resources you can contact the helpdesk directly.
Learn more
You can explore other training on offer from EMBL-EBI on our website. We offer online courses, webinars, face-to-face courses and offsite training.