Computers & Office Equipment

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Big savings available in the office

Adopting energy saving habits in the office can save significant amounts of money and electricity.

 Turning off equipment when not in use improves workers' comfort by reducing fan noise and heat generation.

Learn how two technologies – desktop energy management software, combined with current-sensing power bars – can save B.C. businesses $25 per desktop per year.

• Shut down computer monitors and save money at night and on weekends
• Use software to automatically power off workstations
• Turn off photocopiers during off-hours
• Look for the ENERGY STAR® label
• Specify 80 PLUS power supply when ordering computers
• Consider using laptop computers
• Purchase necessary equipment only
• Consider using multi-user CPU computing
• Change your old power bars to the latest current sensing power bars

Shut down computer monitors and save money at night and on weekends

Shutting down all computers and monitors when not needed can save significant amounts of energy each year.

If your computers must be left on after-hours, turn off the monitor. This will not affect the programs you are working on. A computer's LCD screen typically uses about 25 per cent of the total energy required to run a computer and a CRT monitor can use up to 50 per cent. Also, screen savers do not save energy – complex screen savers actually increase energy use.

Use software to automatically power off workstations

Install ENERGY STAR LAN-based activation software to turn off workstation monitors connected to your network when they are not in use.

Turn off photocopiers during off-hours

Operating photocopy equipment efficiently will reduce energy use by 25 per cent or more. Consider:

• Setting the copier to the energy-efficient setting
• Turning off the copier at night
• Putting the copier on a timer that will automatically shut it off

Look for the ENERGY STAR label

ENERGY STAR software used to enable "sleep mode" on PC monitors can save $10/year per monitor -approximately 170 kWh/year/monitor. The ENERGY STAR label indicates that the manufactures of these machines have met energy-efficiency requirements established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Specify 80 PLUS power supply when ordering computers

80 PLUS means that your computer power supply is at least 80 per cent efficient or greater at various load thresholds and is power factor corrected. On average, an 80 PLUS certified power supply saves 88 kWh per year in a computer and 280 kWh per year in a server.

Consider using laptop computers

When available, choose to work on a laptop rather than a desktop computer. Using a laptop can reduce your desktop energy footprint by as much as 80 per cent compared with a regular desktop computer.

Purchase necessary equipment only

Consider purchasing a combination printer/fax machine/copier as using one machine instead of three will reduce energy usage.

Consider using multi-user CPU computing

Reduce your computing costs significantly by considering having as many as 11 people share one computer using multi-user CPU computing systems. These systems are sometimes known as virtual desktops as they use virtualization software to optimize the efficient utilization of a single computer's CPU to multi task and enable several users at one time.

Multi-user systems are the ultimate, state of the art option to save energy for your computer desktop environment, saving as much as 90 per cent of the energy required for a regular desktop computer.

Change your old power bars to the latest current sensing power bars

Unlike traditional power bars that are really just large versions of a wall plug with added surge protection – or even the first wave of energy-efficient power bars controlled by timers or occupancy sensors – current sensing power bars are a truly revolutionary way to manage your energy use.

For a look at how current sensing power bars, combined with desktop energy management software, can save B.C. businesses $25 per desktop per year, see the story Two steps to big energy savings on desktop computers.