223 The role of ICT in industrial symbiosis projects – Environmental ICT applications for eco-industrial development Ralf Isenmann, Konstantin Chernykh Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) Breslauer Straße 48, D-76139 Karlsruhe ralf.isenmann@isi.fraunhofer.de konstantin.chernykh@isi.fraunhofer.de Abstract This discussion paper provides an overview of environmental ICT applications (information and communication technologies) for eco-industrial development examples in Europe. This requires – among others – at least two basic elements: (i) a classification scheme on how to group the vast number of environmental ICT applications and software tools currently in use or being developed so far, and – no less important – (ii) an inventory of in- dustrial symbiosis projects identified in European countries. 1. Introduction Investigating the role of ICT in industrial symbiosis projects is an issue at the intersection between Environmental Informatics and Industrial Ecology. Environmental Informatics and Industrial Ecology are two emerging fields of research striving for sustainability. The object of Environmental Informatics is to analyze information processing, support information management, and develop information systems related to the environment in its broadest sense, while using methods, techniques, and tools of computer science, thereby – it is hoped – contributing to envi- ronmental protection and finally to a more sustainable future (Pillmann et al 2006). The object of Industrial Ecology is to study industrial systems and their fundamental linkage with natural ecosystems, with the aim to contribute to a more sustainable future. According to White (1994) the focus of Industrial Ecology is „the study of the flows of materials and energy in industrial and con- sumer activities, of the effects of this flows on the environment, and of the influences of economic, po- litical, regulatory, and social factors on the flow, use and transformation of resources“. Despite differences in history and early movements in detail, similarities between Environmental Informatics and Industrial Ecology are obvious (Isenmann 2008a, 2008b): Both fields share the same goal, and both have reached a level of academic culture so that they have become promising branches within the “sustainability sciences”. The two fields have their intellectual heritage today in profession- al international societies. Further, both provide numerous tools, studies, publications, resources and other characteristics that may make them a “discipline” – at least to a certain degree. Consequently, the scientific profiles and constitutive characteristics share common features. An indicator that there are actually overlapping areas is the current re-launch in 2007: The technical committee “Environmen- tal Informatics” has formally broadened its scope, moving away from a solely environmental focus now also addressing sustainable development and risk management in its community headline. This development is mirrored in the new term of the expert group as “Environmental Informatics – Infor- matics for Environmental Protection, Sustainable Development and Risk Management” (http://www.iai.fzk.de/Fachgruppe/GI/index.html ). Resulting from overlapping areas, several attempts have been initiated to start co-operation and es- tablish joint research between Environmental Informatics and Industrial Ecology, even on using envi- ronmental ICT applications for eco-industrial development. As an indicator that some preliminary work has been done in the last years, five milestones are highlighted here: EnviroInfo 2009 (Berlin) Environmental Informatics and Industrial Environmental Protection: Concepts, Methods and Tools Copyright © Shaker Verlag 2009. ISBN: 978-3-8322-8397-1