This news is so timely as Earth Day is approaching fast and Earth Hour is less than five days away, I found this article very interesting.
For Motor Company received its US EPA’s 2010 Energy Star Award for the fifth consecutive year due to its efforts in reducing energy use in its manufacturing and office buildings. It’s latest efforts involves powering down the PC’s in offices when not in use. How many times have I mention that in my blog- unplug all appliances when not in use? Well, imagine if all of their offices, throughout the world, did that at Ford Motors……and ALL the companies?
According to the company’s article, Ford Motor Company’s new PC Power Management program is expected to save the automaker $1.2 million and reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 16,000 to 25,000 metric tons annually. The new program called PC Power Management, the power settings on Windows laptops and desktop computers are centrally controlled to reduce energy waste and optimize software updates. And powering down the computer systems when not in use, especially overnight and on weekends, further reduces energy use.
The power-saving program is being rolled out at Ford facilities across the U.S. this month. It will be migrated to Ford operations around the world later in the year.
According to Ford,
The cost savings and reduced carbon footprint are obtained by developing “Power Profiles” for each PC in the company. With its power profile enabled, each PC monitors its usage patterns and determines when it can be turned off. If the user is working late, he or she will be alerted of the approaching power down and given the opportunity to delay it. In addition, the PC is able to detect when a Microsoft Office product is active and is able to save open documents before shutting down in case the user is not present.
Ford developed its PC Power Management system with NightWatchman™ software from 1E Inc. 1E research found that almost half of all employees who use computers at work typically do not power them down at the end of the working day. In the U.S. alone, over $2.8 billion of PC power is being wasted every year, according to 1E.
In 2009, Ford Motors improved its overall energy efficiency by 4.6 percent at its U.S. facilities, saving the company $15 million. In the previous year, the automaker improved energy efficiency by 5 percent, yielding a savings of about $16 million.
Since 2000, Ford’s U.S. facilities have improved energy efficiency by nearly 35 percent.
Ford is also urging its employees and customers as part of its commitment to the ENERGY STAR program by urging its employees and customers to join the effort by reducing their personal energy use and cutting their CO2 footprints.
Ford Motors might have hit a slippery patch in this tough economic times but it found a way to reduce cost and reduce its carbon print by being environmentally smart!
Are you powering down in your home when you are not using your appliances?
Will you participate in this Saturday’s Earth Hour? (After living for two days without power due to the recent storm, an hour without power will be piece of cake!)
