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Procuring Energy Star office equipments

OFFICE SUPPLIES

Segment    Family    Class

44

10

0

SDG Alignment

7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy

SDG Target

7.3

Target Description

By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency

Level of Effort

Level of Effort Scale

2

1 -Quick Wins: solution involves adding criteria for the good or service being purchased (ex: certifications), minimal internal process changes.

2 -Long Term Adoption: solution requires some changes to internal processes and/or more capital investment (ex: digital transformation to reduce paper use).

3 – Disruptive Opportunities: requires significant investment and changes to internal processes (ex: retrofitting building)

Category Assessment

ETCH Procurement Process .png

Assessment

According to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, more than $2 billion is spent on the electricity consumed by office equipment each year. Purchasers often fail to account for energy costs when buying office equipment, even though energy-efficient equipment with comparable features and performance is available for the same price.

• Assess your product energy consumption and performance; measured and verified with testing, ask for these specific reports from your suppliers.

• Perform cost analysis of upgrading to new higher performance office machines.

• Estimate the cost and energy savings from upgrading to a new system and energy savings can be done using the Energy- and Cost-Savings Calculators for Energy-Efficient Products provided in the reference. The calculator can be used for Commercial Heating & Cooling Systems, Lighting, Food Service (eg. ice machines) and Sanitary Equipment.
a) The EnergyPlus tool is provided in the reference, it can be used to model energy consumption—for heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting and plug and process loads—and water use in your establishment.

Opportunity Identification 

Business: A strategic approach to energy management can produce savings for your organization.

Sustainability: Switching to ENERGY STAR office equipment reduces the amount of carbon dioxide released in the product's lifetime. In addition, better equipment will also reduce manufacturing toxic chemicals, and improved indoor office air quality.

Strategy Build & Execution

• Based on your assessment, evaluate your suppliers' relationship to determine which strategy would be more suitable such as energy teams that is more hands-on, while energy management systems are more of a supervisor role. Both are effective. Is there an opportunity to procure better office equipment and diversify your suppliers? Consider the purchase of office equipment from local suppliers rather than overseas.

• Contact Energy Star for any further assistance with the process implementation.

• Align with stakeholders and suppliers to ensure awareness of changes and end goal for the selected program/strategy.

• Implement the selected program with the help of your suppliers.

Supplier Negotiation & Contract

• Negotiate with existing/potential suppliers on the value-adding elements such as product installation and end-of-life disposal.

• In the RFI (Request for Information), add in a criteria that products must deliver the features and performance stated in ENERGY STAR guidelines, in addition to improved energy efficiency.

• Request suppliers to apply for ENERGY STAR certification or ensure that they follow ENERGY STAR guidelines in the product manufacturing process - this provides the opportunity to have more negotiating power with other clients and provide you with leverage to claim discounts on the products for the initiative.

• Indicate performance measures in the contract for the equipment.

Supplier Performance & Management

•Regularly follow up with the suppliers of their energy-efficient products and ensure that they follow the ENERGY STAR guidelines.

•Perform annual Supplier Relationship Review required for sustainability reporting yearly reviews.

• Schedule annual meetings and follow up with suppliers close to the end-of-life of the new high-efficiency models to discuss any new technologies or products released in the market and the scope for such products' procurement.

Resource Links

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