Green IT Architecture is a design framework that prioritizes environmental sustainability throughout the technology lifecycle, encompassing energy-efficient hardware, optimized software systems, and operational practices that minimize ecological impact while meeting business objectives.

For enterprise architects, Green IT has evolved from a compliance-driven initiative to a strategic imperative that influences all technology decisions. Modern Green IT architectures address multiple dimensions: energy efficiency through optimized workload placement and hardware utilization; resource minimization through virtualization, containerization, and server consolidation; waste reduction through lifecycle management and circular economy principles; and comprehensive carbon footprint management across the technology supply chain. The architectural approach typically involves establishing baseline measurements of energy consumption and emissions, modeling various optimization scenarios, and implementing continuous monitoring frameworks. Cloud migration strategies now routinely incorporate carbon-efficiency assessments alongside traditional cost and performance metrics. Enterprise architects must navigate complex trade-offs between immediate business needs and sustainability goals, often employing lifecycle assessment methodologies to evaluate total environmental impact. This requires technical leaders to develop new governance frameworks that incorporate sustainability KPIs and reporting structures that align with frameworks like the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. As regulatory requirements around environmental reporting increase globally, architects should design systems with inherent capabilities for emissions tracking, sustainable sourcing verification, and energy efficiency metrics that support both compliance needs and strategic sustainability initiatives.