oEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Air and Radiation 6202J EPA February 1997 For more information on the Energy Star® Office Equipment Program please contact; Energy Star® Office Equipment Program U.S. EPA (6202J) Washington, DC 20460. Phone: In the U.S. Call Toll-Free: 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937) Outside of the U.S. Call: 202 775-6650 Fax: 202 233-9575 E-mail: fanara.andrew (2>epamail. epa.gov Automated Faxback Line: 202 233-9659 Via Internet: http://www.epa.gov/ energystar.html Forum On March 24 and 25, 1997 EPA will hold its annual Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Division (APPD) Forum in Washington, DC. The '97 Forum is an opportunity for Energy Star® Partners and Allies to learn about new Energy Star Programs, provide input on current MOUs, review new promotional/educational tools, discuss ideas and goals with EPA staff and other Partners/Allies, and much more! As the Energy Star Office Equipment Program has had a particularly full year, there are many reasons why Partners/Allies should attend this year's Forum: • The Energy Star Partner/Ally of the Year and Best Promotions Contest Winners will be announced; • There will be special detailed breakout sessions on both PCs/ monitors and imaging equipment to discuss future program direction; • An update will be given on the Energy Star Consumer Awareness Campaign. The Forum will begin with registration in the afternoon on Monday the 24th. (Partners/Allies attending Session 1 should register the morning of the 24th.) Later that evening there will be a dinner followed by an awards ceremony. Session 1: Energy Star PCs and Monitors - Issues and Solutions For Power Management (March 24; 10:00-12:00 (lunch) 1:00-5:00) New technology (from high-speed processors to new operating systems) is requiring changes in PC power management. With the help of manufacturers, EPA plans to revise the PC/Monitor MOU to reflect the latest trends in technology. Partners/Allies are encouraged to attend this session where they can provide comments and suggestions that will contribute to the development of Version 3.0 of the MOU. Discussion topics will include overall power management, possible changes to the computer and monitor specifications, and ways to communicate the benefits of power management to end-users. Session 2: Energy Star Imaging Partners Working Group (March 25; 1:15-2:45 (break) 3:15-4:30) Manufacturers will be asked to provide comments on revised printer/fax testing conditions and the new Copier Tool Kit. EPA will also present the initial findings from the Copier Field Monitoring Project (see page 4) being conducted by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. 19 9 7 APPD SAVING THE EARTH SAVING YOUR MONEY MART BUSINESS GPPQRTUNr Energy Star is a U.S. registered mark. ------- Tip of the Month REMINDER: Please let us know if your company has old product models listed in the database! Due to space constraints, the Energy Star Compliant Product Listing no longer includes models that were reported to EPA before August 1995. By reducing its size, we hope to eliminate many of the problems we've experienced when faxing the Product Listing (or sections of it) to interested customers. To avoid any confusion, we have included a brief note to let purchasers know that not every Energy Star compliant model is listed in the database. In The Spotlight International Web Page The next time you're on the 'Net check out our International Web Page! The new site includes information about the Energy Star Office Equipment Program's international activities. For some time, EPA has been working with organizations outside of the United States that are also dedicated to raising public awareness about the benefits of energy efficiency and energy-efficient office equipment. Links to these organizations and a brief description of their recent activities are included on the International Web Page. To explore the world of Energy Star, go to http://www.epa.gov/appdstar/esoe/ international.html. Links are, provided to: Energy Conservation Center (Japan) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (New Zealand) Sustainable Energy Development Authority (New South Wales, Australia) Swedish National Board for Industrial and Technical Development (NUTEK) Natural Resources Canada The site will be updated as new information becomes available. Partners and Allies are encouraged to let their colleagues and customers know about the new web page. Comments and suggestions are appreciated. Leaking Electricity Many consumer electronics products in U.S. homes and offices "leak electricity." Televisions (TVs) and videocassette recorders (VCRs), for example, require about 7 watts of electricity when turned off (i.e., in standby mode). This standby power is used for three purposes: 1) to run circuitry that detects the "on signal" from the remote control, 2) to operate memory circuitry that ensures that the TV or VCR will recall the channel, volume, and other user settings when the unit is turned on again, and 3) to power the VCR clock when the unit is off. Americans spend more than Si billion annually on leaking electricity to power their TVs and VCRs when switched off. Energy consumption from consumer electronics equipment is already one of the largest growing areas of household energy costs according to official statistics compiled by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Consumer electronics and related products account for 30 percent of residential electricity use. ^ Televisions alone account for 5-7 percent. The EIA estimates that the energy required to power consumer electronics devices will double between 1990 and 2000 and triple by 2010. In response to this trend, EPA is currently seeking manufacturer participation in the development of an Energy Star TV/VCR Program, which will expand the market for high- efficiency TVs and VCRs. Anyone interested in more information should contact Stephan Sylvan at EPA (phone: 202 233-9307; fax: 202 233-9575). StarBytes February 1997 — 2 ------- What's New with Imaqinq Equipment? ^¦1 -r*- Scanners EPA also plans to launch an Energy Star Scanner Program later this year. The final MOU will provide energy efficiency specifications for mainstream home and office scanners. All scanner manufacturers are encouraged to work with EPA to develop the MOU. If you would like to review the latest draft, please call the Program Manager at 202 233-9019. Multifunction Devices J The Energy Star Office Equipment Program will soon be expanding to include multifunction devices (or MFDs). EPA is in the final stages of MOU development and expects to launch this new program in March at the 1997 APPD Forum. Last December, several manufacturers met with EPA to discuss and provide comments on draft Version 0.6 of the Multifunction Device MOU. Similar to the Copier Program, the latest draft of the Multifunction Device MOU has two tiers. Tier 1 would be effective later this year, lb qualify for the Energy Star label, a multifunction device would enter a sleep mode after a period of inactivity. In the MOU, the sleep mode is defined as the lowest power state a device can automatically enter without actually turning off. High-speed multifunction devices (more than 44 images per minute) would also be preset to automatically make double-sided copies. In 1999, the Tier 2 specifications for multifunction devices would supersede the Tier 1 criteria. Tier 2 MFDs would include a low-power mode in addition to a sleep mode. High-speed devices would also have an automatic duplex mode for both copying and printing. If you would like more information about the upcoming Multifunction Device Program, please contact the Program Manager at 202 233-9019. Copier MOU Amendment Recently, EPA distributed the official Copier MOU Amendment to all of the Copier Partners. This amendment revises several specifications in an effort to ensure customer satisfaction with Energy Star labeled copiers. The maximum time setting for the auto-off feature has been extended from two hours to four hours to provide users with more flexibility when choosing time settings. The maximum power consumption (watts) in off mode has also been modestly increased to provide manufacturers with the opportunity to include more features on their copiers, such as weekly timers. The amendment applies to Tier 2 copier models; however, the new specifications may be implemented in Tier 1 products. Each manufacturer must sign and return the amendment to EPA before July 1, 1997 in order to continue to participate in the program. ^^g^^^^^adline to Return Copier 11 Amendment: [fj July 1,1997 StarBytes February 1997 — 3 ------- Program News Kicking Off TWo New Projects in 1997 Copier Tool Kit• This Kit will provide communication materials that Partners can use to educate their customers and internal staff about key elements of the Energy Star Copier Program. The customer education section will include general information about Energy Star compliant copier features, the benefits of their use, and guidelines for using paper efficiently. Another section will contain sales training information and a troubleshooting guide for manufacturers to distribute to sales and technical staff. Other elements include sample advertisements, articles, and logos for manufacturers to use in their educational endeavors. Copier Field Monitoring Project: The goal of this Project is to develop a better understanding of how customers currently use their Energy Star compliant copiers. This information will help EPA to determine whether Energy Star labeled copiers achieve their maximum energy savings. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory staff members are conducting in- depth monitoring of selected Energy Star compliant copiers to assess overall use patterns - energy use, job types, number of copies per job and in total, and paper handling. In addition, a user satisfaction survey will be conducted that addresses specific Energy Star features. The research team will also work with manufacturers who remotely monitor copier use patterns to gather additional data. FIRST CUSS MAIL Postage and Fees Paid EPA G-35 &EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mail Code 6202J Washington, DC 20460 OFFICIAL BUSINESS PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE $300 ------- |