Desktop Computer Energy Reduction Pilot Study

Executive Summary

The desktop energy reduction pilot project at the School of Education concluded that substantial financial and environmental savings are possible using tools and settings native to the computers on an IU campus. Our primary focus was to change behaviors, provide a means to make progress visible, and create solutions that can fit a variety of IT environments.

 Changing Behaviors:  By altering the power management settings on over 400 machines in the Wright building, computers went into sleep mode after 2 hours and 15 minutes of inactivity. Administrators changed the nightly upgrades and security patches to run during the day. End users only experienced slight changes, as this necessitated that they awaken their machines by moving the mouse or depressing a key on the keyboard. More advanced users had to alter the way they accessed their machines remotely by using our custom designed Wake-on-LAN utility.

  Making Progress Visible:  Changes to behavior were encouraged by the GoGreen Gadget created by application designers at the School of Education. The gadget shows individuals how much carbon dioxide they are personally saving by having the new power management settings on their computers. In addition, it displays total savings for their building and their campus. It is a powerful reminder of the cumulative effects of small changes.

  Creative Solutions for a Variety of IT Environments:  The Wake-on-LAN utility, GoGreen Gadget, and power management settings were all developed by creative IT staff at Indiana University. An understanding of the complexities of the IU environment, as well as the variation that exists across departments and campuses was taken into consideration. The settings, interfaces, and gadget can all be customized to best fit individual needs and work practices.

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