Assessing the Environmental Impact of IoT Devices - Hotspots and Guidelines for a Better Understanding

This article presents a methodological framework for LCA studies of IoT solutions that captures the particularities of these devices and provides a complete picture of their environmental footprint. To this end, we start with a semi-structured literature review on LCA studies of IoT solutions, focusing on smart buildings and urban applications. Nine studies were analyzed and compared according to their system boundaries, environmental impact areas, and identified hotspots. Furthermore, we identify research gaps and challenges in conducting LCA studies and derive a framework for LCA studies of IoT solutions.