Concern for the environment has been a hot topic in the last couple of years, but with the economy potentially heading for a ‘double–dip’ recession, environmental changes in the way we work can help companies reduce costs whilst ‘going green’. The ‘always on and connected’ culture we live in has resulted in many of us forgetting how to use the off button. Computers and computer peripherals are some of the biggest offenders being left on in homes, offices and schools, along with printers, copiers, phone charges, in fact all kinds of electrical equipment.
Climate change is a real issue and one of the biggest culprits of high CO2 emissions is computers. One PC left on all the time would be expected to produce 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per year. Not only is this a shocking amount of CO2 being released into the atmosphere, but it means that companies are paying higher energy bills than necessary. The typical desktop PC running for 8.5 hours a day, for a 5 day week over 52 weeks a year could cost an estimated £38.41 to run: however, if that same PC was left on 24 hours a day 7 days a week, over the course of a year it would cost you £152.25 to run, that's a staggering £113.84 extra in electricity costs for your computer to do nothing. For larger organisations, this quickly adds up to thousands of pounds and tonnes of CO2.
In the current economic climate where companies are still feeling the effects of the recession, maintaining a lean balance sheet is paramount; turning off electrical appliances when not needed just makes sense helping reduce carbon footprint and costs at the same time.
One answer for business is PC Power Down Enterprise. Software is installed on a computer that is connected to the network and acts as a server. It allows an administrator to control the switching off and on of a variety of equipment including; computers, printers, photocopiers, overhead projectors, water coolers, in fact just about any type of electrical equipment.
Dr Jonathan Moffett of the Ashmolean Museum, which is a user of PC Power Down said, “Computers were frequently left on day and night and even over the weekends and understanding that a single PC can waste as much as £50 per year and be responsible for a quarter tonne of C02 if left on is quite shocking. Typically in an educational establishment or public space it is often unclear who should be switching off equipment and we needed something that would address this issue. PC Power Down delivers value by providing tangible evidence of cost savings that can be factored into the overall objectives, while it also off-loads ‘carbon guilt’ to an automated managed platform.”
www.pcpowerdown.com
