Think One

Computers, Peripherals, and Electronics

Computers, peripherals, and electronics account for 17% of energy use at a typical university, according to the U.S. Department of Energy¹. Unplugging electronics and equipment that is not in use and using energy-savings settings can go a long way in reducing Vanderbilt's overall energy demand by 15% or more. Some suggestions for curbing our energy usage related to computers and electronics are listed below.

Computers
Peripherals
Electronics
The End Result

Computers

Use the "sleep mode" and "hibernate" settings on computers and monitors. Click here for step-by-step instructions to enable the energy savings settings, which can also be found on most Windows-based and Mac-based computers.

...a computer in "sleep" mode or "hibernate" mode typically consumes less than 10% of its typical operating power consumption²?

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 it².

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 computer³.

Even if you don't turn off your computer, turn off the monitor if you will be away from the computer for a while. Monitors can consume 30% of the energy from a typical system⁴.

Enabling sleep mode features for a monitor is just as important. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 2,000 kilowatts of electricity per year can be saved for every 10 monitors that have its sleep mode features enabled⁵. That same amount of energy could provide power to a home in Nashville for six weeks⁶.

Peripherals

Utilize sleep mode settings for printers. Similar energy saving features (and misconceptions) surround computers and peripherals 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 device⁷. Even though there is a small surge in energy when an imaging device starts up, these practices save energy⁷.

Using the double-sided printing feature on EnergyStar-rated printers and copiers saves energy and reduces paper use significantly⁸. Even if the 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 it⁸.

Also, use the automatic paper feeder on copiers and printers instead of the manual feed tray; manual feeds use more energy⁹.

Electronics

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 site¹⁰.

Unplug electronics when not in use. TVs, DVD players, entertainment systems, and similar devices draw power around the clock. To make it easy, hook these devices up to a single power strip or surge protector. View these public service announcements on this topic from ABC News and Get Connected TV.

Modern electronics can consume lots of electricity if they aren't used properly. Plasma TVs consume four times the energy of their predecessor, the old-fashioned cathode-ray tube TV¹¹. If you are shopping for a new TV, whether it be plasma, LCD, or flat screen, consider purchasing an EnergyStar-rated model. These TVs use 30% less energy than their non-rated counterparts¹².

In November 2008, a much more stringent specification for EnergyStar TVs will be in effect. Most manufacturers have already started producing newer, more energy-efficient TVs ahead of the November due date¹², so you can be ahead of the curve in terms of energy efficiency!

The End Result

If Vanderbilt decreases its power demand for computers, peripherals, and electronics by 15%, it could avoid consuming up to 1.5 megawatt-hours of electricity a day on peak days!

But what does this mean?

That's the same amount of electricity consumed by 35 average-sized homes in Nashville in a day. That's a lot of juice, Commodore Fans.

For every megawatt-hour of power Vanderbilt purchases from TVA, 1,500 pounds of greenhouse gasses are emitted.

By not consuming 1.5 megawatts-hours of electricity for computers on a particular day, Vanderbilt avoids emitting almost 2,300 pounds of greenhouse gasses that same day.

Check The Math

17% of power for equipment x 60 megawatt-hours of consumption per day on peak days = 10.2 megawatts
15% of 10.2 megawatt-hours = 1.53 megawatt-hours
Energy consumption of one average house in Nashville for a day = 0.043 megawatt-hours⁶

References

¹ U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office, Building Technologies Program. "University Buildings", 01/27/06.
² 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.
³ Energy Star Podcast No. 4.0, "Computers", 10/25/07.
⁴ Dell Computers web page "Frequently Asked Questions about Dell and the Environment", September 2003.
⁵ Energy Star web page "Sleep in Good: For Computer Monitors and Your Bottom Line", September 2003.
⁶ Nashville Electric Service web page "Residential Rates", 2008.
⁷ Energy Star Podcast No. 4.1, "Imaging Equipment", 10/25/07.
⁸ Federal Electronics Challenge web page "Energy Conservation with Energy Star", 05/26/06.
⁹ Eugene (Oregon) Water & Electric Board web page "Be an Energy Sleuth at Work", Spring 2001.
¹⁰ Energy Star web page "External Power Supplies", 2008.
¹¹ BBC News "Do Flat-Screen TVs Eat More Energy?", 12/7/06.
¹² Energy StarT web page "TVs", 2008.

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