Computer Buying Guide

Energy Star

Source: U.S. Department of Energy
 

Most of us don't think about saving money
and improving the environment when we
flip the switch on our computers or
photocopy an important document.

But with efficient ENERGYSTAR® labeled office
equipment, you can do just that!
Office equipment, led by computers, is the
fastest growing electric load in the business
world. In fact, office equipment accounts
 

for about 11 percent of all commercial
sector electricity usage. However, much of
this energy is wasted. According to
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
most people leave their computers on
throughout the business day although they
only use their machines for four hours on
average. What's more, approximately 57 percent of
computers are left running at night and on weekends.
 

What is ENERGY STAR Labeled Office
Equipment?

ENERGYSTAR labeled office equipment
helps reduce wasted energy. When an
energy-efficient computer in not in use, it
enters a low-power “sleep”mode. Sleep
mode reduces the equipment's energy waste
and saves money without sacrificing
features, performance, or cost. An
 

ENERGYSTAR labeled computer in sleep
mode consumes about 90 percent less
electricity than it does in full-power mode.
Many of the manufacturers who produce
the office equipment sold worldwide
participate in ENERGYSTAR.

By looking for the ENERGYSTAR label, you can easily
identify products that save money and prevent air pollution.
 

ENERGY STAR vs. Conventional Equipment:
What's the Difference?
 

When you see the ENERGYSTAR label on a
product, you can be sure that it meets the
following efficiency guidelines:
 

• Computers: Power down to 15 watts or
  less in the low-power mode when using a
  200-watt power supply.
   

• Monitors: Power down to 15 watts or less
  after 30 minutes of inactivity, and then
  down to 8 watts or less after a cumulative
  period of 60 minutes of inactivity.
   

• Printers and Fax Machines: Power down
  to 10-100 watts or less depending on
  the model's output speed and printer type
  after a predetermined period of inactivity
  set at the factory.
   

• Mailing Machines: Power down to
  10-85 watts or less depending on the
  model's output speed after a
  predetermined period of inactivity set at
  the factory.
   

• Copiers: Depending on output speed
  and format type, power down to low power
  mode after 15 minutes of inactivity
  and/or to 5-20 watts in off mode after
  90 minutes or less of inactivity, ensuring
  that equipment is off during evening and
  weekend hours. Double-sided copying is
  recommended for medium- and high-speed
  models.
   

• Scanners: Power down to 12 watts or less
  in the low-power mode after 15 minutes
  of inactivity.
   

• Multifunction Devices: Power down to a
  low-power and/or sleep mode of no more
  than 25-105 watts after 15-120 minutes
  of inactivity, depending on output speed
  and format type.
   

•  Upgradeable Digital Copiers: Power down
  to a low-power and/or sleep mode of no
  more than 5-20 watts after 15-120
  minutes of inactivity, depending on
  output speed and format type.
   

Conventional and ENERGYSTAR labeled
office equipment cost the same, but
ENERGYSTAR labeled equipment offers
two important benefits: it saves money and
helps the environment. Once ENERGY
STAR labeled equipment is installed,
savings can add up quickly. Multiply the
per-unit savings by the number of products
in your office to estimate how much you
can save each year!

• Computer/Monitor $45 per year

• Printer $25 per year

• Medium-speed Copier $25 per year

• Fax Machine $9 per year

• Scanner $7 per year
  
  In a typical office of 100 people, annual
  savings could reach almost $5,000 per year:
   

•  $45/year x 100 computers $4,500

•  $25/year x 10 printers 250

•  $25/year x 4 copiers 100

•  $9/year x 4 fax machines 36

•  $7/year x 2 scanners 14
  
  TOTAL ANNUAL SAVINGS: $4,900

It takes ten times more energy to
produce a piece of paper than to
copy an image to it.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

In addition to lowering operating costs,
ENERGYSTAR labeled copiers, multifunction
devices (MFDs), and printers
can also reduce paper use. Many provide
duplexing (double-sided) capabilities,
recommended as a default setting for
medium- and high-speed models. By
making double-sided copies, you can save
$50-$150 per year on paper purchases for a
medium-speed copier. Duplexing also adds
to overall energy reduction.

Besides the cost savings, ENERGYSTAR
labeled equipment offers other important
advantages:
 

• Added Comfort: ENERGYSTAR labeled
  equipment produces less heat by
  powering down when not in use. This
  feature contributes to a cooler, more
  comfortable workspace and reduces
  air-conditioning costs.
   

• Improved Reliability: Heat can cause
  equipment failure. With the power management
  feature, ENERGYSTAR
  labeled equipment may last longer
  because it generates less heat.
  
  Components that cycle, such as hard drives
  and microprocessors, are also more reliable
  when power management is enabled.

Is "Sleep" the Same as "Off?"
No! Equipment in sleep mode still uses
some electricity, so always turn your
equipment off if it will not be in use for
long periods of time. Also, if you see a
monitor with a screen saver, don't assume
that it's saving energy. Screen savers are not
an energy-efficiency feature. If you do use a
screen saver, be sure your monitor is set to
display images for a pre-determined period
of time and then enter sleep mode.
 

What Else Should I Know About
ENERGY STAR Labeled Office
Equipment?

• 
  Manufacturers are required to ship
  ENERGYSTAR labeled equipment with the
  sleep feature enabled. It should arrive at
  your office that way.
   

• You may adjust the power management
  setting to conform to your work pattern
  using the Control Panel. Some computers
  require accessing the sleep feature through
  the BIOS or setup screen. If you have
  questions about activating or changing
  the sleep feature, refer to the owner's
  manual or call the manufacturer's
  help line.
   

• If your business operates on a Local Area
  Network (LAN), be sure to specify that
  the power-management feature on your
  computer is compatible with the existing
  network system. (As of this writing, the
  Windows NT operating system does not
  support power management.)

• For additional savings, purchase printers
  and fax machines that print on both sides
  of a piece of paper. Buying a printer with
  a duplexing mode could save over $45 a
  month in paper costs, and purchasing a
  fax machine that scans double-sided pages
  saves copying and paper costs. Also
  consider buying a combination printer/fax
  unit, which will consume less energy since
  one unit can do the work of two.
   

How Can I Purchase ENERGY STAR
Labeled Office Equipment for the
Federal Government?
President Clinton's Executive Order 13123,
issued on June 3, 1999, requires that federal
agencies purchase ENERGYSTAR and other
energy-efficient office equipment. How can
you buy ENERGYSTAR labeled equipment?
Just list ENERGYSTAR as a requirement in
your specification. The ENERGYSTAR
Web site, www.energystar.gov, includes
information on specific procurement
language to use.

How Should I Specify ENERGY STAR
Labeled Office Equipment When
Ordering from a Manufacturer?
When considering the purchase of ENERGY
STAR labeled office equipment, it is
important to use procurement language
that includes ENERGYSTAR specifications.
Procurement language should indicate that
the equipment "shall meet the ENERGYSTAR
specifications for energy efficiency." Language
should also provide a detailed explanation of
each ENERGY STAR specification. Complete procurement language is available at www.energystar

ENERGY STAR
ENERGYSTAR is a trusted national brand
symbolizing superior energy performance
in over 30 categories of consumer
electronics and appliances, as well as office
buildings, schools, and homes. ENERGY
STAR for Office Equipment is a voluntary
partnership between the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
and the office equipment industry that
promotes energy-efficient products.
Reducing the energy wasted in operating
this equipment can help combat smog,
acid rain, and climate change by decreasing
emissions from energy generation.

For More Information
Visit www.energystar.gov.

Choose “Find Products,” then “Institutional Purchasing.”
ENERGYSTAR for Office Equipment
 

US Environmental Protection Agency
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
MC6202J
Washington, DC 20460
 

ENERGYSTAR

Hotline: 1-888-STAR-YES
(1-888-782-7937)
Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy Clearinghouse
US Department of Energy
PO Box 3048
Merrifield, VA 22116
1-800-DOE-EREC
(1-800-363-3732)