Turn off the light when you leave the room.
Office equipment, computers, and appliances account for 20% of energy use at a typical hospital1. Unplugging office equipment not in use and using energy-savings settings can go a long way in reducing Vanderbilt's overall energy demand by 15% or more. Reducing energy consumption also reduces operating costs: every dollar that a non-profit hospital saves on energy is equivalent to generating new revenues of $20, according to the U.S. Department of Energy2. Some suggestions for curbing our energy usage related to office equipment are listed below.
Refrigerators
The End Result
Computers
Use the "sleep mode" and "hibernate" settings on computers and monitors. Step-by-Step instructions related to enabling energy savings settings on computers are provided by Information Technology Services. If you need assistance on establishing sleep mode settings for computers and monitors, contact your LAN Manager.
...a computer in "sleep" mode or "hibernate" mode typically consumes less than 10% of its typical operating power consumption3?
Turning off your computer saves even more energy. Click here to read more about when it's best to just power down. Even though there is a small surge in energy when a computer starts up, it's still worth it3.
Furthermore, today's computers are actually designed to withstand frequent shut-downs. Using energy savings settings and turning computers off extends the life of the computer4. If you are not allowed to turn off your computer, then turn off the monitor! Monitors can consume 30% of the energy from a typical system. An LCD monitor uses 30% less energy than an old-fashioned CRT monitor5.
Enabling sleep mode features for a monitor is just as important. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 2,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year can be saved for every 10 monitors that have its sleep mode features enabled6. That same amount of energy could provide power to a home in Nashville for six weeks6. Click Here to learn more about the EPA's "Million Monitor Drive" for healthcare systems.
Office Equipment
Unplug battery chargers and equipment when not in use. Plug-in battery chargers for cell phones and other devices can use up to 20 times more energy than is stored in the device's battery-even when not actively charging a device, according to an EnergyStar web site8.
Where feasible, unplug electronics when not in use. TVs, DVD players, entertainment systems, and similar devices draw power around the clock. See public service announcements on this topic from ABC News and Get Connected TV.
Utilize sleep mode settings for printers, copiers, and fax machines as well. Similar energy saving features (and misconceptions) surround computers and office equipment alike. Today's imaging devices are designed to accommodate sleep mode settings and shut-downs, and using energy savings settings (along with turning machines off when they are not in use) extends the life of the device9. Even though there is a small surge in energy when an imaging device starts up, these practices save energy9.
Using the double-sided printing feature on EnergyStar-rated printers and copiers saves energy and reduces paper use significantly10. Even if your imaging equipment isn't EnergyStar-rated, double-sided printing is still worth doing! It takes 10 times more energy to make a piece of paper than it does to copy an image to it10.
Also, use the automatic paper feeder on copiers and printers instead of the manual feed tray; manual feeds use more energy11. And make sure that the copier is properly sized for your area's workload. A mid-volume printer can use 70% more energy than a small volume copier. Conversely, a mid-volume printer uses less energy than several small printers11. Link printers and copiers to a network and save electricity!
When it comes time to replace that old refrigerator, purchase an EnergyStar-rated replacement. EnergyStar-qualified models use at least 20% less energy than their modern counterparts, and 40% of the energy compared to conventional models sold as recently as 200112.
Keep the refrigerators running efficiently by following these steps:
Set the refrigerator temperature at 36° to 39° F and freezer at 0° to 5° F13.
Check refrigerator and freezer gaskets annually for leaks and wear, and replace as needed14.
Regularly clean out "dust bunnies" from underneath and behind refrigerators14. Refrigerator coils that are covered with dust lose their efficiency. Also, regularly inspect the freezer for ice build-up and defrost as needed14.
Open doors on refrigerators as little as necessary14.
Remember: every dollar that a non-profit hospital saves on energy is equivalent to generating new revenues of $20, according to the U.S. Department of Energy2.
If Vanderbilt University Medical Center decreases its power demand for computers, peripherals, and electronics by 15%, it could avoid consuming over one megawatt-hour of electricity a day on peak days!
But what does this mean? 
That's the same amount of electricity consumed by 25 average-sized homes in Nashville in a day.
Check The Math
20% of power for equipment x 60% of Vanderbilt's energy budget x
60 megawatt-hours of consumption per day (on peak days) = 7.2 megawatt-hours
15% of 7.2 megawatt-hours = 1.08 megawatt-hours
Energy consumption of one average house in Nashville for a day = 0.043 megawatt-hours7
References
1 Consortium for Energy Efficiency, Inc. Commercial Building Performance: Health Care Facilities, 2005.
2 U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office, Building Technologies Program. "Energy Smart Hospitals", 07/17/08
3 U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office, "A Consumer's Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: When to Turn Off Computers", 07/22/08.
4 Energy Star Podcast No. 4.0, "Computers", 10/25/07.
5 Dell Computers web page "Frequently Asked Questions about Dell and the Environment", September 2003.
6 Energy Star web page "Sleep in Good: For Computer Monitors and Your Bottom Line", September 2003.
7 Nashville Electric Service web page "Residential Rates", 2008.
8Energy Star web page "External Power Supplies", 2008 .
9 Energy Star Podcast No. 4.1, "Imaging Equipment", 10/25/07.
10 Federal Electronics Challenge web page "Energy Conservation with Energy Star", 05/26/06.
11 Eugene (Oregon) Water & Electric Board web page "Be an Energy Sleuth at Work", Spring 2001.
12 Energy Star web page "Refrigerators & Freezers" 2008.
13 Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) web page "Energy Saving Tips", 2008.
14 New England Gas Company, "Energy Saving Tips", 2008.
Patient Care Areas
Heating and Cooling | Lighting | Computers and Equipment | Miscellaneous Items
