[LINK] Australian energy efficiency standards for personal computers and monitors

[Tom Worthington]

The Australian Greenhouse Office (AGO) is looking 
at energy efficiency standards in Australia and 
NZ, for personal computers and monitors, similar 
to those for other consumer products. A Steering 
Committee of stakeholders is being formed.

There is a very useful six page fact sheet 
"Computers And Monitors The Case For Minimum 
Energy Performance Standards", from the Equipment 
Energy Efficiency Team at AGO, 
<http://www.energyrating.gov.au/library/pubs/2007-factsheet-computer-monitor.pdf>:

"The Australian and New Zealand Regulatory Plan

In October 2004, energy efficiency regulators 
announced plans to consider mandatory energy 
performance standards for computers and monitors. 
The intention to push efficiency through 
regulatory means was reiterated at the 2006 
Standby Conference. This fact sheet launches the 
consultation process for regulating computers and 
monitors in Australia and New Zealand and will be 
supported by a more detailed technical case.

Australian and New Zealand energy efficiency 
regulators are proposing to recommend basing 
regulatory energy performance and labelling 
schemes upon the US Energy Star specifications – 
specifically the existing Computers Version 4.0 
and Monitors Version 4.1 as these specifications 
are essentially the defacto global test and performance standards.

Australian and New Zealand energy efficiency 
regulators are proposing to recommend mandating 
energy performance standards from not earlier 
than October 2009, or more than 3 years after 
they were first adopted as Energy Star levels.

The Australian Government will also develop a 
strategy for computers covering the next 10 years that will include:

     * An initial focus on desktop computers, laptops and computer monitors.
     * The use of measures to cover all modes of 
operation: potentially ranging through off, 
passive standby, active standby and on, as 
technology and testing becomes available.
     * Further measures for workstations and servers at a later stage.
     * Research on the energy implications of networked homes.
     * Data centre energy performance – direct 
energy consumption and air-conditioning energy consumption.

The Australian Government is proposing to 
advocate international adoption of standards 
based upon the Energy Star computer and monitor specifications. ..."

Contact details for the Equipment Energy 
Efficiency Team at AGO. are at the end of the fact sheet.

Also some Green IT events:

* Computers and green architecture, Canberra, 17 
October 2007 <http://education.acs.org.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=3635>

* Green IT conference in Sydney, 6 December 2007 
<http://www.informa.com.au/ibcoz/marlin/system/render.jsp?siteid=30000000421&marketingid=20001606220&MarlinViewType=OPTION_VIEW&productid=20001606221&optionid=20001606240> 
and

* Greening Your IT Seminar, UniSA/ACS, in 
Adelaide 12 November 2007 
<http://www.acs.org.au/index.cfm?action=event&area=9005&temID=eventdetails&eveID=10085822915310>.



Tom Worthington FACS HLM tom.worthington at tomw.net.au Ph: 0419 496150
Director, Tomw Communications Pty Ltd            ABN: 17 088 714 309
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617                      http://www.tomw.net.au/
Adjunct Senior Lecturer, ANU