files to support the building of a home computer network
Environmental sustainability is an existential threat, with the ever-increasing demand for computing significantly working against solving this. Embodied emissions represent the foremost challenge in achieving sustainable computing. While we continually see progress made in the operational efficiency of computing, carbon emissions during the manufacturing process present a major challenge. Apple saw that hardware manufacturing accounted for 74% of its overall footprint, while operational use accounted for 19%. Tackling this requires a fundamentally rethinking of the design and implementation of computer systems and networks. This project aims to design a sustainable computer system that reduces the need for new hardware by leveraging distributed computing concepts within a local environment – fully utilising existing computing power within the home. Decentralised and sustainable computing models are shaping the future of technology by addressing efficiency, scalability, and environmental sustainability. Leverage underutilised resources, weather old or idle and distributed networks, to extract performance while reducing energy consumption and reliance on centralised infrastructure. By integrating resource-sharing, dynamic task management, and crowdsourced processing, these systems promote sustainability through the reuse and extended lifecycle of hardware, minimising e-waste and carbon emissions. A shift towards more flexible, cost-effective, and environmentally conscious computing enables a more sustainable grown of technology. The project combines research into existing distributed computing approaches, prototype development, and performance evaluation. Key metrics such as latency, usability, and energy efficiency will be analysed to assess the system’s feasibility and environmental impact. By addressing the challenge of embodied emissions and prioritising the sustainable design principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle, this project seeks to contribute to a more environmentally conscious future for computing technologies.