Purchase energy efficient appliances

When investing in new office or workplace equipment and appliances, use the Energy Star® ratings (stars) to guide you to the most efficient products.

The Energy Star® program of energy efficiency ratings was developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and adopted by the Australian Government as our standard rating system in 2006. The EPA estimates that the Energy Star program saved the US about $14 billion in energy costs in 2006 alone.

Currently the Australian government uses the Energy Star® program for office equipment and consumer electronics, including computers, printers, fax machines, photocopiers, televisions and dvd players may carry this endorsement label in Australia. These products will carry the Energy Star® rating label.

How to do it now!

The cost of energy is rising and the effect of climate change is increasing. Office and workplace appliances (including computers, photocopiers, printers and fax machines) constitute a large portion of many SME’s energy bills.

Organise your workplace to use your appliances more efficiently.
There are ways to re-organise your workspace to minimize the amount of appliances and equipment you require to run your business. Some ideas:

• Consolidate all printing to a single printer stationed conveniently to all.
• Replace desktop computers with more energy efficient laptops. Laptops are inherently designed to run more efficiently than desktops due to having to run on battery power when unplugged from power supplies.
• Avoid large screen monitors where possible. Larger screen consume more power.

When purchasing new equipment, buy the most efficient.
The following Energy Star databases provide a list of equipment that qualifies for the higher efficiency standards of the Energy Star program:

• Computers – Search the Energy Star® database of qualified computers for the most efficient options.
• Monitors - Search the Energy Star® database of qualified monitors for the most efficient options.
• Photocopiers and Fax machines - Search the Energy Star® database of qualified Copiers and Faxes for the most efficient options.
• Other appliances and equipment – the Energy Star program also provides a broad range of databases of efficient appliance s and equipment in the following areas:
  • Building Products,
  • Commercial Appliances,
  • Commercial Food Service Equipment,
  • Computers, Electronics,
  • Battery Chargers,
  • Heating and Cooling,
  • Lighting,
  • Plumbing.

These can be accessed from the Energy Star Products page.

To read more about the Energy Star program and how a product earns the Energy Star label, explore these links.

Why is this action important?

The science is telling us that we need to reduce our green house gas emissions and slow climate change. One way of doing this is to aspire to the efficiencies found in nature. This action is intended to help people understand the lasting benefits of energy efficiency and to be informed when purchasing office and workplace appliances and equipment.

Environment

Global warming, droughts, dead river systems and species extinction are all results of our overuse of natural systems and their consequent decline. Reducing the amount of energy needed to run our businesses is a powerful way to ease this pressure on our precious natural systems.

Wellbeing

Climate change resulting from greenhouse gas emissions is projected to adversely affect the health of millions of people throughout the world with increases in malnutrition, disease, injury and deaths from heatwaves, floods, storms, fires and droughts, increases in diarrhoeal disease, increased frequency of cardio-respiratory disease due to worsening air quality and altered distribution of some disease vectors (Department of Human Services, Oct 2007).