Sustainability Balance for ICT Infrastructures: A Time-Scale Analysis of the Dynamic Fourth Lane on the A4 Italian Motorway

This paper addresses the measurement of the environmental impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructures. The methodology used, aligned with ISO standards and guidelines for the expression of uncertainty in measurements (GUM), involves several steps. First, a checklist is prepared, encompassing all the elements necessary for the infrastructure’s implementation, operation, and end-of-life stages. Then, the environmental impact of each element is modeled in terms of probability distributions, which, in the metrology framework, indicate the lack of complete knowledge about the true amount of emissions associated with the related element. The obtained distributions are aggregated through Monte Carlo simulations to yield an overall distribution of the infrastructure’s environmental impact. Upon determining the resulting emissions, this paper presents the novel concept of the Sustainability Balance. This concept is introduced by comparing the emissions generated by the considered infrastructure with those mitigated through its use. This balance is critical for determining the actual environmental sustainability of the infrastructure. As a practical case study, this methodology is applied to a real and complex monitoring scenario, namely the dynamic fourth lane of the Italian A4 motorway, which represents a comprehensive example of an ICT infrastructure. The dynamic fourth lane allows the emergency lane to be used as an additional traffic lane based on traffic volume, thereby reducing congestion and emissions from idling vehicles. The obtained results highlight the potential for significant environmental benefits, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in evaluating and enhancing the sustainability of ICTs.