Design for Environmental Sustainability in Computing

The Design for Environmental Sustainability in Computing (DESC) program, managed by the National Science Foundation (NSF), seeks to address the environmental impacts of computing systems throughout their lifecycle, including design, manufacturing, operation, and disposal. These impacts include greenhouse gas emissions, rare earth material depletion, heat generation, and e-waste. The program aims to move beyond energy efficiency and address a broader set of sustainability metrics such as greenhouse gases, volatile organic compounds, resource consumption, recyclability, and system longevity. DESC promotes interdisciplinary collaboration across hardware, software, and networking layers, with a focus on developing novel models, tools, and methodologies to make environmental sustainability a core design objective. The DESC program supports three project types: Type I Small Projects, Type II Large Projects, and Type III Workshop Projects. Type I projects, with budgets up to $600,000 over three years, focus on smaller-scale, foundational research. Type II projects, with budgets up to $2,000,000 over four years, support larger, interdisciplinary research efforts. Type III projects, with budgets up to $100,000 over one year, aim to catalyze research activities and community engagement through workshops. The total anticipated funding across all project types is approximately $11,800,000. Eligible applicants include accredited two- and four-year institutions of higher education in the United States and non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent research labs and professional societies. Proposals must align with the program’s sustainability goals, avoiding overlaps with energy-efficiency-only projects or proposals focused solely on advancing economic or social sustainability pillars. Proposals must be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov, following the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Specific requirements include clear articulation of sustainability metrics, an explanation of how sustainability will be evaluated, and plans for dissemination of findings. Type II proposals must include a detailed management and coordination plan, and budgets should account for annual DESC PI meetings. Reviewers will evaluate proposals based on NSF’s two merit review criteria: intellectual merit and broader impacts. Additional solicitation-specific criteria include the extent to which sustainability metrics go beyond traditional energy efficiency and the potential for transformative impact on computing design and use. Annual and final project reports are required, along with project outcomes summaries prepared for public dissemination. Compliance with reporting and award administration requirements, including Build America, Buy America provisions, is mandatory. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact program officers for guidance before submission.