[Skip to Content]

Computers

Last Updated: 03/15/23 Click to see brand name products that meet these requirementsopens in new window
Computers

A device which performs logical operations and processes data. Computers are composed of, at a minimum: (1) a central processing unit (CPU) to perform operations; (2) user input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, digitizer or game controller; and (3) a computer display screen to output information

Product Details
Product Type

Procurement Info

Where to Buy

Desktop Computers
Notebook Computers
Workstation Computers
Thin Client Computers
Tablets/Slates
Integrated Desktop Computers
Portable All-In-One Computers
Life Cycle Cost Savings

Life Cycle Costing (LCC) aims to quantify the financial impact of a product over its entire life cycle to assist consumers in making decisions that will save them money over the long term.

Version 7.0 ENERGY STAR certified computers will use, on average, approximately 25% less energy than standard notebook computers. If all computers sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified, the cost savings would grow to nearly $600 million each year and more than 8 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented, equivalent to the emissions from over 800 thousand vehicles.

An efficient product is cost effective when the energy costs saved over the life of the product exceed the additional upfront cost (if any) of the more efficient model. Energy Star considers both upfront costs and lifetime energy cost savings when setting required efficiency levels. Federal purchasers may assume that Energy Star-qualified products and products meeting FEMP-designated efficiency requirements are life-cycle cost effective.

To calculate life cycle cost savings, explore these tools:

  • On its Purchasing & Procurement page, Energy Star offers MS-Excel-based calculators to estimate how much money and energy you can save purchasing ENERGY STAR computers.
  • For EPEAT-registered products, the Green Electronics Council offers a benefits calculator to quantify the environmental and financial benefits compared to standard products.
  • NREL’s Levelized Cost of Energy Calculator can help estimate the cost of electricity as an input for your lifecycle cost calculations, accounting for both cost escalation and discount rates.
Guiding Principles
Contributes to meeting The Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings
Additional Guidance

The 2015 Federal Electronic Asset Take-Back Guidance addresses the inclusion of provisions in contracts or leases for manufacturer or reseller take-back of used electronic assets.

Federal Programs

Version 7.0 requirements for Energy Star Computers will take effect on November 16, 2018.  These requirements apply to:

  • Desktop Computers and Integrated Desktop Computers;
  • Notebook Computers;
  • Slates/Tablets;
  • Portable All-In-One Computers;
  • Workstations; and
  • Thin Clients.

The following products are not eligible for certification under this specification:

  • Docking Stations;
  • Game Consoles;
  • E-Readers;
  • Handheld gaming devices, typically battery powered and intended for use with an integral display as the primary display;
  • Mobile Thin Clients not meeting the definition of Notebook Computer
  • Personal Digital Assistant devices (PDAs);
  • Point of Sale (POS) products that do not use internal components common to Notebook, Desktop, or Integrated Desktop Computers, including a processor, motherboard, and memory
  • Slate/Tablet based POS products
  • Handheld Computers which contain cellular voice capability:
  • Ultra-thin Clients; and
  • Small-scale Servers.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Recommended Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels

Executive Order (EO) 14057, Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainabilityopens in new window, (08 DEC 2021), requires federal agencies to purchase sustainable products and services certified to the standards/ecolabels included in the Recommendations to the maximum extent practicable.

Potential LEED Contributions

This product may contribute* toward points in multiple LEED v4 rating systems, including areas required for LEED v4 building certification. It will mainly enable calculations for energy simulations and plug load calculations demonstrating energy use improvements over baseline estimates. Primarily, the credits will apply in the Building Design and Construction (BD+C) and Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M) categories. This includes the specialty areas of: New Construction and Major Renovation, Existing Buildings, Core & Shell, Schools, Retail, Data Centers, Warehouse and Distribution Centers, Hospitality, and Healthcare. Specific credits are:

  • Energy & Atmosphere - Optimize Energy Performance

* It is important to note that no products, individually or collectively, can guarantee a specific number of points for LEED Category credit. Each credit will need to be matched to the product by a certified professional.

Related Workspaces Head to the explore section of SFTool to view related workspaces