Teaching the Environmental Footprint of AI and EdTech: CarbonClass Pilot in Finland
A University of Jyväskylä workshop with nearly 20 students in Äänekoski introduced Carbon.Crane's CarbonClass learning platform, connecting AI literacy with energy awareness, environmental responsibility and practical choices in using digital technologies.
On 29 October 2026, Dr Kristóf Fenyvesi, Adjunct Professor of Thinking and Learning in Digital Culture, and International Coordinator of JYU's Innovative Learning Environments (ILE) research group, facilitated an introductory workshop in cooperation with Carbon.Crane. The company's co-founder, György Huszics, joined online to introduce the CarbonClass AI energy awareness programme.
Why AI's environmental footprint belongs in education
As AI and educational technologies become part of everyday learning, their environmental impacts remain insufficiently addressed in AI literacy and responsible technology education.
This is particularly relevant in Finland, where rapid data centre expansion is increasing electricity demand and raising questions about infrastructure, resource use and environmental sustainability. Finland's transmission system operator, Fingrid, identifies data centres as a major driver of future electricity consumption growth.
The Äänekoski workshop connected these developments with students' everyday AI use and their local industrial environment. Through discussion and examples from CarbonClass, students explored AI's energy and water demands, differences between AI models and tasks, and ways to make more informed technological choices.
The session introduced students to the interactive learning platform rather than completing the full course together. Participants received access to continue independently, complete the knowledge assessment and earn a CarbonClass badge.
Extending responsible AI education
The initiative contributes a complementary dimension to ILE's research on STEAM education, AI literacy, educational technology, digital well-being and sustainability. It is particularly relevant to the group's AIWARE project on AI competencies and classroom learning, and PERMA-Digital, which addresses digital well-being in education.
The cooperation with Carbon.Crane aims to develop digital carbon literacy as a practical educational competence, combining scientific understanding, critical reflection, informed technology choices and responsible action.
Building on the Äänekoski introduction, ILE and Carbon.Crane are exploring further pilots in schools, universities and teacher professional development, alongside opportunities to evaluate learning outcomes and institutional digital footprints.
Schools, universities and educational organisations interested in developing AI and EdTech sustainability education are welcome to explore cooperation.
Contact: Dr Kristóf Fenyvesi, Finnish Institute for Educational Research, University of Jyväskylä — kristof.fenyvesi@jyu.fi
Links: ILE Research Group · Carbon.Crane · CarbonClass
