Roadmapping the next wave of sustainable IT Robert R. Harmon, Haluk Demirkan and David Raffo Abstract Purpose – This paper aims to explore the strategic dimensions and drivers of sustainable IT and roadmaps its likely development as a disruptive innovative force over the next decade as it moves beyond the datacenter and throughout the IT organization, the firm, markets, and society at large. Its purpose is to provide a comprehensive view of the emerging industry to inform sustainable IT strategy development and stimulate future research. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a qualitative three-phase process to develop the technology roadmap for the sustainable IT industry. The phases are domain analysis, which features a comprehensive literature review and expert panel depth interviews; roadmap development, which involved two technology roadmapping brainstorming sessions; and follow-up activity, to confirm roadmap session results with the expert panel. Findings – The paper defines the emerging field of sustainable IT and its green IT and sustainable IT services dimensions. It identifies market segments, products and services, technologies, compliance and reporting requirements, organizational changes, and value migration and roadmaps a likely future landscape for the development of sustainable IT strategy. Practical implications – Developing a sustainable IT strategy is a major issue for most organizations. Managers and researchers can use the results of this study to better understand the dimensions of sustainable IT and its likely future growth paths. Researchers will find the comprehensive approach to the topic useful for planning future technological innovations and determining their disruptive potential. Managers can use the results to benchmark their current situation and develop strategies for the next generation of sustainable IT service solutions. Originality/value – This paper is the first to apply technology roadmapping to the emerging sustainable IT industry. It provides a strategic planning perspective of the future of the industry as it migrates from green-IT strategies for reducing the costs and energy use of computing to sustainable IT services that hold the potential for transforming complex environmental and social responsibility problems into business opportunities. Keywords Sustainable IT, Green IT, Strategic planning,Technology roadmapping, Information technology Paper type Research paper 1. Introduction The notion of ‘‘sustainable IT’’ has gained in popularity as IT managers have become more aware of IT’s impact on the environment and society. This recognition has developed slowly over the course of the past two decades starting with the Energy Star program in 1992. However, during the past decade it has been the internet-driven rapid growth of datacenters, their associated energy costs and carbon footprints that motivated the initial development of sustainable IT strategies, often called ‘‘green IT’’ or ‘‘green computing.’’ Datacenters can account for 25 percent or more of total IT budgets and account for up to 50 percent of energy costs for enterprise scale e-commerce companies (Mitchell, 2007; Forrest et al., 2008; McKeefry, 2008). Datacenter demand is expected to grow at an estimated 20 percent CAGR over the next decade (Wong, 2007). Green IT also includes the goals of DOI 10.1108/14636681211222401 VOL. 14 NO. 2 2012, pp. 121-138, Q Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1463-6689 j foresight j PAGE 121 Robert R. Harmon is Professor of Marketing and Technology Management at the School of Business, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA. Haluk Demirkan is Clinical Full Professor of Information Systems at the W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA. David Raffo is Professor of Information Systems at the School of Business, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA.