"Green by IT” is a sub-aspect of the green IT concept. Greater sustainability is achieved not by an IT system itself, or by its components or software, but through the secondary effects of using an IT system. Examples of “green by IT” scenarios can be found, for instance, in Section 3 of “SMART 2020” and “SMART 2020 Germany Addendum: The ICT Sector as the Driving Force on the Way to Sustained Climate Protection:”

• Dematerialization
• Smart motor systems
• Smart logistics
• Smart buildings
• Smart grids

“Green by IT” complements “green in IT.” The goal of “green in IT” is for IT components to be used in an environmentally compatible and resource-saving manner over their entire life cycle. This can be achieved, for instance, by optimizing the efficiency of power adapters so they consume less electricity when in operation, or by the way the software is programmed (“source code optimization”).