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Home > Buildings & Plants > Purchasing & Procurement > Case Studies and Key Benefits of Purchasing ENERGY STAR-Qualified Products
Purchasing efficient products reduces energy costs without compromising quality. Successful energy management programs adopt a procurement policy as a key element of their overall strategy. Instituting an effective policy can be as easy as asking procurement officials to specify ENERGY STAR qualified products, such as office equipment, in their contracts or purchase orders. For products not covered under ENERGY STAR, EPA provides links to the Department of Energy’s recommended efficient products used by federal government procurement officials (FEMP 
).
ENERGY STAR-Qualified Products
Products List, Savings Calculators and Procurement Materials
Key Benefits
- Reduced energy use of 10–75%, without compromising quality or performance
- Fewer emissions of greenhouse gases, resulting from reduced use of fossil fuels
- Significant return on investment
- Extended product life (for specific products) and decreased maintenance
Cost Savings and Case-Studies
ENERGY STAR has estimated sample cost savings using a representative suite of products, for each of five sectors. While the savings for any particular organization would vary from these, the samples illustrate the compelling benefits of using and enabling ENERGY STAR qualified products.
| Sector | Cost Savings Fact Sheets | Case Study Topics |
|---|---|---|
| State & Local Government | State & Local Government Fact Sheet  (29KB) |
power management (131KB) |
| LED traffic signals |
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| Higher Education | Higher Education Fact Sheet (28KB) |
power management – Colleges (69KB) |
| power management – U. Wisconsin (128KB) |
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| vending machines (59KB) |
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| water coolers (77KB) |
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| K-12 | K-12 Fact Sheet (28KB) |
power management (133KB) |
| roof products (48KB) |
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| Hospitality | Hospitality Fact Sheet (29KB) |
ventilation fans (77KB) |
| Business | Food Service Industry Fact Sheet (28KB) |
light fixtures and ceiling fans (195KB) |
On-line Trainings
Purchasing and Procurement — Abstract
Purchasing ENERGY STAR qualified products can substantially reduce your organization’s energy use and costs. This training includes information about EPA resources to help your organization purchase products with superior energy performance: product calculators that determine the annual and life cycle cost benefits of purchasing ENERGY STAR qualified products rather than conventional ones; sample, downloadable procurement language for stipulating ENERGY STAR product performance to vendors; lists of ENERGY STAR qualified products, by product type and manufacturer. Certificates of Participation are available upon request for individuals wishing to pursue continuing education credits (CEUs). EPA and DOE make no guarantee that this course is eligible for CEUs. Please contact your accrediting organization to determine eligibility.
Click here to register.
Six easy steps to procure ENERGY STAR
- Review purchasing policies and identify product categories where savings exist.
- Visit http://www.energystar.gov/purchasing for product listings. Use the Savings Calculators to determine savings opportunities and life cycle costs.
- Coordinate with the appropriate offices within your organization to encourage the purchase of identified ENERGY STAR qualified products.
- Modify procurement language and inform employees.
- Access Quantity Quotes for bulk purchases of selected ENERGY STAR qualified products
- Communicate your success.
