Green Building - Inside and Outside

by Terri Cronin

When you hear the words "green building" you probably picture a structure, maybe a warehouse, a home, or an office building. But what about the equipment used everyday inside the building? How efficient and productive are the electronic products used in your office? What materials are used to make the equipment? How much energy do they use, how much money do you spend purchasing, using, and maintaining this equipment? What do you do with these assets once they reach the end of their useful life in your business?

The answers to these questions can help you improve the efficiency of your equipment and save resources, helping to make your day-to-day operations more efficient, more productive, more "green."

COST ISSUES
Electronic equipment, especially computers, play a critical role in today's business environment. In addition to initial purchase or lease costs, electronic equipment has operating and maintenance costs. Consider these costs when deciding what equipment to purchase or lease.

A key cost of operating electronic equipment is energy. Energy use varies depending on the type of equipment selected. One way to make sure your new equipment is energy-efficient is to look for the ENERGY STAR label. More than 11,000 product models in 34 product categories bear the ENERGY STAR label. To qualify, these products must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency. Energy Star products use 25 to 50 percent less energy than their traditional counterparts. 

The benefits of purchasing ENERGY STAR labeled products are:
1) Reduced energy costs without compromising quality or performance.
2) Reduced air pollution because fewer fossil fuels are burned.
3) Significant return on investment.
4) Extended product life and decreased maintenance.

Visit the Energy Star Web site to see the buyer's guide to Energy Star labeled office equipment and other resources to help you choose energy-efficient equipment.

Networking your equipment-such as connecting multiple computers to one printer-reduces your purchase or lease costs along with other costs of use, maintenance and end-of-life management. When adding new equipment to your office, buy compatible components so they will work effectively and not require the purchase of additional components.

Remember to purchase equipment that meet your needs-don't spend money on features that you will not need within the useful life of the equipment. This is increasingly important with the rapid advances in technology.

PROPER END-OF-LIFE MANAGEMENT
When you are ready to replace equipment, first check to see if the vendor for your new equipment offers trade-in or "take back" services. You may receive a credit on your old equipment towards the purchase of new equipment.

Next, look for reuse options for working equipment and proper recycling options for non-working equipment. In the Spring 2002 issue of CalMAX we featured an electronic products management directory. The directory provides a list of organizations that reuse and recycle electronic equipment. Some organizations provide services to remove data from hard drives and guarantee data destruction. Equipment that still works can be donated to nonprofit or community groups.

Communities throughout California are developing programs to manage CRTs and other electronic waste. If the directory does not include an organization that meets your needs, check with your local waste hauler or household hazardous waste facility.

Discarded CRTs are a hazardous waste in California and cannot be disposed with your regular "trash."

See the CalMAX Winter 2002 issue for tips on preparing your computer for donation.

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Last updated: August 01, 2008