IT Power Management: Manage Computer Power Use at LSU

It has been shown that the energy costs associated with failing to recognize and monitor PC power management is very costly to any institution. The average PC left on all day and night consumes more than 700 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year (more than the average refrigerator) and wastes almost 400 kilowatt-hours when running at full power when not in use. (US EPA).   PC energy costs are the largest single contributor to overall IT energy costs and account for a quarter of the costs in an office building. (New Boundary Technologies, 2010).   IT energy usage is rising by 15% annually according to industry estimates. PC power management is critical to reducing costs and cutting energy usage.

It is important for us at LSU employees to conserve power when using computing equipment.  However, turning off computers outside of work hours can cause more problems than it solves.  Many critical tasks, such as antivirus scans and system backups, are intentionally run in the "off" hours to keep them from interfering with University business.  Because of this, it is not recommended that you turn off your computer when you leave for the day.  That doesn't mean that you can't still save power, though; here are some tips that will help you do just that.

• Turn off your monitor at the end of the day and during your lunch break.
• Turn off your printer when it is not in use and at the end of the day.
• Adjust the power settings for your computer to make it more efficient. 
• Consider having your monitor go to standby after ten minutes of inactivity and your computer go to standby after thirty minutes or less.