Green Electronics Purchasing Policy
Policy Background
Responsible Position for Policy: Sustainability Manager
Office/Department Responsible for Policy: Office of Energy and Sustainability
Division Responsible for Policy: Facilities Operations, Procurement, and Auxiliary Services
Scope of Policy: The Policy applies to all faculty and staff who purchase electronics for Oberlin College and Conservatory.
Original Issue Date: August 15, 2024
Last Revision Date: NA
Log of Previous Revisions: NA
Policy Purpose
In March 2004, the Board of Trustees adopted the following general Environmental Policy Statement:
The core mission of Oberlin College is the education of its students. One aspect of such education is the demonstration by its actions of the College’s concern for, and protection of its physical environment. Oberlin College must be a responsible steward of the environment. As such, the College will seek 1) to reduce the rate at which it contributes to the depletion and degradation of natural resources; 2) to increase the use of renewable resources; and 3) to consider other measures that can enhance the physical environment in which we live. The development of priorities and the implementation of decisions regarding energy production and use, the use and development of our grounds, facilities construction, modernization, maintenance, transportation, and materials use will be informed by the environmental impact they have. The President or delegated officials will periodically advise the community of the College’s progress in this area.
The Green Electronics Purchasing Policy (Policy) aims to regulate the purchase of electronic devices at Oberlin College and Conservatory by outlining the requirements and the encouraged actions for sustainable purchasing.
The Policy will bring Oberlin College and Conservatory closer to its carbon neutrality goals by targeting products with lower carbon footprints.
Policy Statement
All electronic equipment listed below purchased for on-campus use are required to be registered in the EPEAT system. EPEAT is a 3rd party certification designed to help large volume purchasers evaluate, compare, and select electronic products based upon their environmental attributes as specified in the consensus-based IEEE Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products.
The requirements for purchasing of electronic devices at Oberlin College and Conservatory are established as follows:
New IT Equipment, such as laptops, desktops, integrated desktop computers, monitors, notebooks, signage displays, tablets, thin clients, and workstations, shall meet EPEAT Gold standards.
New servers shall meet EPEAT Gold standards. Standards for network equipment are coming soon from EPEAT and are not yet included in this policy.
New mobile phones shall meet EPEAT Gold standards.
New imaging equipment purchased by the College, including copiers, digital duplicators, multifunction devices, printers, professional imaging products, and scanners, shall meet EPEAT Gold standards.
For devices that are leased through outside parties, contract language should incorporate Energy Star and/or EPEAT criteria. For pre-existing contracts, language should be updated at renewal.
The database of all products that currently meet EPEAT criteria are viewable at www.greenelectronicscouncil.org
Policy Scope/Eligibility
The Policy applies to all faculty and staff members who purchase electronic devices (such as monitors, cell phones, laptops, and desktops) using College-managed funds.
Definitions
EPEAT: The EPEAT third party certification is the leading global Type 1 ecolabel covering products and services from the technology sector, managed by The Global Electronics Council (GEC).
EPEAT Gold Standards: Gold-rated products meet all of the required criteria and at least 75% of the optional criteria.
EPEAT Silver Standards: Silver-rated products meet all of the EPEAT required criteria and at least 50% of the optional criteria.
EPEAT Bronze Standards: Bronze-rated products meet all of the EPEAT required criteria.
IEEE Standard: The IEEE Standard is a set of environmental and social responsibility criteria for the design of computers (including notebook computers, desktop computers, integrated desktop computers, portable all-in-one computers, slates/tablets, small-scale servers, thin clients, and workstations) and displays (including monitors and signage displays) intended to provide a tool for government, institutional, corporate, and consumer purchasers to identify products that demonstrate environmental and social responsibility leadership.
ENERGY STAR: ENERGY STAR is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). The US EPA sets energy efficiency specifications and those that meet them can choose to display the ENERGY STAR logo.
Administration
The administration of the Policy will be managed by the Office of Energy and Sustainability (OES). The Sustainability Manager is responsible for keeping the Policy up to date, coordinating a detailed review with all relevant stakeholders at least once every 5 years, and creating institutional guidelines to implement the Policy.
Procedures
Reporting: Annually, at the close of the fiscal year, authorized purchasers of electronic devices covered by the Policy will be required to submit a report of their purchases, indicating the type of devices purchased and the total expenditures for each EPEAT category and/or exemptions (see Appendix I). This report will be reviewed by the Office of Energy and Sustainability.
Enforcement and Non-Compliance: In case of non-compliance to the Policy, the faculty or staff member will have an intentional meeting with the Office of Energy and Sustainability staff to discuss the reasoning behind non-compliance and how to address it.
Policy Waiver: If an electronic product is not available with the designated EPEAT standard, the Sustainability Manager can review and waive the requirement. To receive a waiver, the department ordering the product may contact the Office of Energy and Sustainability. The Sustainability Manager will review the qualities of the product in question and may provide technical assistance by finding a suitable alternative, or waiving the requirement.
Related Information
Related Policies:
Oberlin College Environmental Policy - Approved May 2004
Other considerations for dissemination of information related to the Policy:
The Office of Energy and Sustainability will coordinate an annual meeting at the beginning of each fiscal year with purchasers in CIT as well as staff in Facilities Operations who are responsible for cell phone and leased printing equipment. The purpose of the meeting is to review the Policy and discuss recommended revisions as needed. The meeting will also be an opportunity to discuss challenges and any non-compliance issues.
The Policy will be posted on the CIT and OES websites, and the procurement webpage.
Approval Process
Frequency of Review: The Policy will be reviewed on an annual basis by the Office of Energy and Sustainability in collaboration with CIT and FacOps.
Review Process: If revisions or changes are recommended, the Sustainability Manager will manage the process.
Necessary Approval Constituents: Vice President of Finance and Administration