Purchaser Profile

National Renewable Energy Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy
       
Federal Government
2017 EPEAT Purchaser Award – 3 Stars

2016 EPEAT Purchaser Award – 3 Stars

2015 EPEAT Purchaser Award – 3 Stars
Jack Patterson

NREL purchases EPEAT-registered computers, displays, imaging equipment, and televisions.
$2,562,024 (2014)
2014
Computers must meet strict energy use guidelines in three distinct operating modes: standby, sleep mode, and while in use. In order to meet the criterion outlined by ENERGY STAR 6.1, Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), and the U.S. Department of Energy’s initiative to implement the changes called for in Executive Order 13423 (PDF), and in Executive Order 13514 (PDF), NREL is fully utilizing the energy efficiency features of these devices, all computers are imaged by the Office of the CIO to turn off the display after five minutes of inactivity and set the hard drive into standby mode after 10 minutes of inactivity.
Over their lifetime, compared to products that do not meet EPEAT criteria, the 635 EPEAT registered electronics purchased by National Renewable Energy Laboratory in 2016 will result in environmental impact reductions including:

  • Reduce use of primary materials by 54 metric tons, equivalent to the weight of 1.5 tractor-trailer 18-wheelers
  • Avoid the disposal of 421 kg of hazardous waste, equal to the weight of 3.5 refrigerators
  • Eliminate the equivalent of one U.S. household’s solid waste for 6 months—962 kg
  • Avoidance of 205 kg of water pollutant emissions

 

Energy-Related Savings
EPEAT’s requirement that registered products meet the latest ENERGY STAR specifications means these products will consume less energy throughout their useful life, resulting in:

  • Savings of 150,100 kWh of electricity—enough to power 12 U.S. homes for a year
  • Reduction of 26.9 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions— equivalent to taking 19 average U.S. passenger cars off the road for a year
  • $15,441 in lifetime cost savings

*EPEAT Purchasing Tier indicates how many EPEAT categories are specified in the organization’s purchasing agreements