BUYING GREENER PCs

The Sustainable Desktop?Sheffield 2 September 2008

Lisa HopkinsonHEEPI

University of Bradford

ENERGY COSTS OF DESKTOPS

Typical desktop + LCD monitor ~ 300 kWh/y

Electricity costs over lifetime (5 years @ 12p/kWh) ~ £200

BUT lifetime energy consumption/costs can be much higher ~ £2000

Whole life costing essential

HOW TO REDUCE IMPACTS

• Select the equipment you need– Desktop, laptop, thin client – Ensure spec fit-for-purpose– Reduce no. devices

• Procure the most energy efficient PC that meets your needs

• Power management in use

PROCUREMENT: ECO-LABELS & TOOLS

• Energy Star

• EPEAT

• ECMA-370 or TED

• Public sector sustainable procurement guidelines and tools

ENERGY STAR

• Voluntary labelling scheme for energy efficient office products

• Database of most energy efficient models

• Updated specifications for computers and monitors expected in force in 2009

• Only deals with energy IN USE

• www.eu-energystar.org

ENERGY STAR REQUIREMENTS FOR DESKTOPS

Standby ≤ 2W

Sleep mode ≤ 4W

Idle mode

CategoryA ≤ 50W

Category B ≤ 65W

CategoryC ≤ 95W

BROADER ECO-LABELS

• Electronic Product Environmental Assessment tool (EPEAT) – Voluntary US PC/monitor eco-label– 51 criteria in 8 categories (e.g. design for end of life, energy

conservation, materials selection, packaging)– http://www.greenelectronicscouncil.org/epeat/criteria.htm

• ECMA 370 = TED (The Eco Declaration)– Voluntary international life-cycle eco-label for IT with focus on

EU implementation – specifies environmental attributes (e.g. hazardous substances,

environmental conscious design, packaging)– http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-370.htm

OGC’S “QUICK WINS”

• OGC’s “Quick Wins 2007” has IT product groups

• Largely based on Energy Star with other specifications

• www.ogcbuyingsolutions.gov.uk

FUTURE REQUIREMENTS

• Eco-design of EuP Directive – mandatory energy efficiency standards for office equipment in time

• Energy End Use and Energy Services Directive– requires public sector to take up cost effective energy

efficiency improvements

– Defra consultation: for education sector - voluntary agreement to be agreed with the lead representative bodies

ICT PROCUREMENT IN HE

• National, Regional and Inter-Regional Agreements - framework agreements with preferred suppliers

• National Desktop Agreement: Viglen, Research machines, Dell, Compusys/Stone Computers and NEC. Value £80M in 2006-07

• Agreement includes Energy Star compliance; all suppliers state 80% PSU

• Current agreement runs until 31/01/09, guidelines updated later this year

ICT PROCUREMENT IN HE

• Whole life costing done infrequently• Inclusion of environmental specifications ad-hoc

depending on the commodity and the consortia. • Uncertainty amongst procurement staff about what

sustainability issues have been taken into account. • Scope for sector to be more proactive in adopting

standards?• Scope for coordinated initiatives between

procurement and IT? JISC working group?