As energy costs rise and concerns for the environment make the front page, companies have a new responsibility in addressing energy efficiency concerns. Your organization can save on energy costs when using computers, printers, servers and other ICT equipment. For example by being more aware of the energy consumption of ICT equipment upon purchase or when in use. Please see below for important energy saving tips and ask the experts for advice on this page.

You can also save energy by making the most of your ICT capacity. In practice, often more ICT capacity (such as servers, network, and hard disks) is purchased than is necessary which causes overcapacity. All capacity of ICT equipment consumes electricity, including overcapacity. Therefore wait to expand when the current capacity is still sufficient. Alternatively, existing ICT equipment can be partly burdened heavier or it can be switched off, so that the equipment is used more efficiently.

ICT equipment in a server room such as servers, storage- and network equipment cause considerable heat. Cooling helps to ensure the reliability of this equipment. Optimize cooling by optimizing the air current. Make sure that cold air is lost or blocked as little as possible.

The capacity of new ICT equipment (such as storage or processor speed) increases by approximately 100% every year, while energy consumption increases by about 20%. ICT equipment older than four years has, compared to modern ICT equipment, a very limited capacity compared to the energy consumption.

Flat (TFT) screens on average consume 50% less energy than a CRT display. A laptop consumes considerably less than a PC. The most economical PC with monitor consumes more than the most comprehensive laptop.

You can set up a ‘dimming and switch off’ option on your PC by adjusting your Windows system settings. Dimming and switching off occurs automatically after a certain period (e.g. 5 minutes) when the PC has been idle. You can start saving energy by looking for the power options in Windows. Watch this short instruction movie and start saving energy now.

Sometimes copiers are on stand-by day and night in offices. Small copiers consume about 50 watts and large copiers about 100 watts on standby power in sleep mode. Modern photocopiers are often packed with features that minimize energy consumption in idle mode. On older machines you can save energy with a timer. That clock switches the equipment off during the hours that no one is present. You save 10 to 20% on energy (cost).

ICT makes it possible to work in a new way. Employees can log in while they are on the train or at home so that their presence is not required in the office. This makes more flexible workplaces possible. A flexible workplace is a place in the office building where every employee can sit down and work. A flexible working system delivers offices in average 25% of space savings. As a result, also less heating and lighting is needed, although this energy is now needed somewhere else (like at the office at home).