5 Simple Ways to Avoid Energy Waste in Your Data Center (ENERGY STAR)

Overview

The ENERGY STAR programme of the US Environmental Protection Agency lists five simple measures to cut energy waste in data centres: raise temperature set points, virtualise servers, identify and remove unused servers, replace standard fans with variable-speed fans, and adopt an ENERGY STAR purchasing policy. The page is entry level and does not give a detailed engineering method.

The temperature item states that every 1 F increase in temperature can save 4 to 5 percent in energy costs. This can serve as a simple rule of thumb; real savings depend on the facility, cooling system and equipment temperature limits, so the figure should be taken only as an approximate indication.

The server items give more concrete examples. According to surveys, up to 30 percent of servers do no useful work but draw power continuously. Using a figure attributed to Uptime Institute, decommissioning a single server can save $500 in energy, $500 in OS licences and $1,500 in hardware maintenance annually. As an example of virtualisation, a university that virtualised 35 physical servers saved more than $280,000 over 3 years.

The purchasing item says ENERGY STAR certified servers can save $60 to $120 per year in electricity. The limits of the page are that its figures are US-based and general in nature, and that it is a simple information page. It should be read as a list of quick wins for small facilities.

Key points

1. Every 1 F increase in temperature can save 4 to 5 percent in energy costs.
2. Surveys show up to 30 percent of servers do no useful work but draw power continuously.
3. Decommissioning a single server can save $500 in energy, $500 in OS licences and $1,500 in hardware maintenance annually (Uptime Institute figure).
4. A university that virtualised 35 physical servers saved more than $280,000 over 3 years.
5. ENERGY STAR certified servers can save $60 to $120 per year in electricity.
6. The five measures: set points, virtualisation, removing unused servers, variable-speed fans and a purchasing policy.

Using it in design

• Use as quick-win recommendations in the operations module for small facilities.
• Turn the per-degree set-point saving into a simple sensitivity slider, flagged as a rule of thumb.
• Add an unused-server inventory and virtualisation opportunity to the operations checklist.
• Make ENERGY STAR certified equipment a preferred option in purchasing specifications.

Who should read it

Operators of small and medium facilities and managers looking for quick energy-saving opportunities.

Publication details

Authors

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Publisher

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (ENERGY STAR)

Year

2026

Document language

English

Source type

Government / public

Access

Free to read

Licence

U.S. public domain — U.S. Government work; free to reuse

Citation