AI Footprint Calculator Case Study
A comprehensive technical report documenting the development of an environmental impact calculator for AI systems through human-AI collaboration.
About This Case Study
This microsite documents the development process, methodology, and outcomes of the AI Footprint Calculator project—a tool designed to estimate the environmental impact of various AI activities, including cloud-based models, locally executed models, and complex agentic workflows.
The case study explores how human orchestration and AI capabilities were combined to transform scientific research into an accessible, educational tool for understanding and offsetting the environmental footprint of artificial intelligence systems.
Key Sections
Project Overview
An introduction to the AI Footprint Calculator project, its objectives, scope, and the environmental context that motivated its development.
Methodology
The research foundation, data sources, and calculation approaches used to estimate energy consumption, water usage, and carbon emissions for different AI activities.
Human-AI Collaboration
Insights into the collaborative process between human direction and AI implementation that enabled rapid development of a complex technical application.
Technical Implementation
Details of the architecture, calculation engine, and user interface design decisions that shaped the final application.
Results & Impact
Outcomes of the project, including user feedback, environmental awareness impact, and potential for future development.
Lessons Learned
Key insights and best practices derived from the development process that can be applied to similar technical projects.
Development Guide
A comprehensive guide for developers who want to follow this process to create their own environmental impact calculators or similar applications.
Try the Calculator
The live AI Footprint Calculator is available for use. Launch the Calculator Demo to explore the environmental impact of your AI usage and discover offsetting options.