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1
Proposed ENERGY STAR
Specifications for Computer Monitors
Craig W. Hershberg
ENERGY STAR Office Equipment and
Consumer Electronics
www.energystar.gov
2
Agenda
Computer monitor specification
• Objectives
• History
• Specification highlights
• Industry feedback
• Next steps
• Questions from EU - EPA agreement
• Your comments / questions
• Our questions for you
3
Agenda (cont’d)
• Do you need specifics ?
– Sleep, Off , On, Non-energy aspects
• Test method
• The time is right - LCDs
4
Agenda (cont’d)
Logistics and other issues
• How to collaborate when revising the specifications
• Subsequent meetings
• Summary of meeting, including action items and
schedule for follow-up
• Preliminary plans for other Office Equipment
Products
– procedure for collaboration
5
Objectives
• Provide understanding and disclosure of draft
monitor specification
• Provide detailed answers to questions
• Receive constructive feedback from you
• Develop consensus on direction identified
today
• Agree on next steps
6
The history:
• What monitor specs. exist in Europe now ?
– GEEA
– TCO
• Reviewed independent monitor research from DisplaySearch, IDC,
Europeans, and others
• Met with monitor manufacturers at COMDEX, CES, DisplaySearch,
and one-on-one (HANS-PAUL)
• Analyzed self-reported data from manufacturers in STAR database
• Independently measured monitor power use
• Compared data with LBNL, ADL studies
• Made recommendations to EPA. EPA weighed them with others
and created draft specification.
7
Revising the ENERGY STAR
Computer Monitor Specification:
Highlights
8
Terminology
ON: “active”, “full power”
SLEEP: After x minutes of inactivity,
monitor goes to lower power
usage mode. “low power”
OFF: “Standby”
Remember: ON, SLEEP, AND OFF
9
Current ENERGY STAR
Specification
• Sets minimum wattage levels in low-
power or “sleep” mode.
– First Sleep Mode:  15 watts
– Second or “Deep Sleep” Mode  8 watts
10
Why Revise the Current
Specification?
• Virtually all monitors meet current ENERGY
STAR specification.
• Large percentage of monitors are not sleep
enabled (i.e., we are not getting the energy
savings we could be).
• Recent NRDC research shows energy use in
“on” mode is 80 –90% of total kWh/yr.
• For “on” and “off” modes, wide range of
performance between similar-sized models.
• Broad interest in limiting standby power use.
11
Goals for Revised Specification
• Incorporate all 3 operating modes:
– On (active)
– Sleep (inactive)
– Off (standby)
• Performance-based specification.
• One specification for all monitors, not one for
CRTs, one for LCDs, etc.
• Equal or better performance compared to
non-ENERGY STAR labeled models.
12
The Core Requirements
• Maximum allowable power consumption
levels for each mode: On, Sleep, Off
• Consensus test method for measuring
active power usage.
• Minimum consumer acceptance criteria
(brightness, warranty, etc.)
• Product and package labeling.
13
Why Active Power?
• Feasible without negatively affecting product
performance; in fact, some manufacturers are already
meeting the proposed specifications
• Limited additional energy savings potential in sleep and
off modes; ; 90% of savings with proposed spec is from
“active”
• Not dependent on enabling rates
• Allows a variety of technologies (e.g., CRT and LCD) to
qualify
14
LCDs
• Highlight a new technology in the
marketplace
• Additional benefits:
– Space
– Heat
– Power consumption
– Useful life
– Installation
– Disposal
15
On Mode: Active Power Use
• Sets maximum allowable active power (W)
Power as a function of mega pixels:
W = 30 + 20X
Example: monitor has resolution of:
1280 x 1024 = 1,310,720 or 1.31 mega pixels
W = 30 + 20 (1.31) = 56 W
16
On Mode (cont.)
• Technology neutral, agnostic to monitor
type (LCD or CRT), size (15”, 17”, etc.).
• If monitor yields more information, allow
a little more power consumption.
17
Sleep Mode
• Just one sleep mode level.
• Maximum allowable power: 4 W
• If multiple sleep modes, all must meet
4W requirement.
18
Sleep Mode Advisory Language
• For consideration in updated ENERGY
STAR computer specification:
Maximum default time: 15 minutes
Maximum recovery time: 5 seconds
• Goal – increase likelihood that users
actually use and are not annoyed by
energy management features.
19
Off Mode
• Synonymous with standby.
• Power consumed when device is plugged in, but
switched off:  2 W.
• Working to harmonize with US Executive Order
for Standby Power Consumption (1 watt
executive order)
20
Non-energy Reqts.
• Must be: bright enough, easy-to-read,
reliable.
• Brightness: minimum luminance of 100 nits
(candelas/m2
).
• Contrast: minimum contrast ratio of 200:1.
• Defective Pixels:  5 sub-pixel faults per
million sub-pixels.
• Warranty: at least 2 years.
• User Interface: UI Standard recommended
21
Labeling Requirements
ENERGY STAR logo must be displayed on:
• top/front of product,
• product package,
• product literature.
22
Time Line for Revision of Computer
Monitor Specification
April
2002
May
2002
June
2002
July
2002
August
2002
Sept.
2002
Oct.
2002
Nov.
2002
Dec.
2002
Jan.
2003
EPA to distribute first draft of specification to
industry and other stakeholders
 18
EPA to meet with industry in San Francisco to
discuss first draft of specification
 29
EPA to work with Test Method Development
Committee to refine test method
20 24
EPA to work with interested manufacturers on
non-energy aspects of specification
20 15
EPA to work with ITI and interested
manufacturers on product labeling ideas and
other aspects of Partnership Agreement
20 15
Prior to EU meeting, EPA to update the draft
specification per feedback received to date
 20-24
EPA to meet with EU representatives in Nice,
France to present and discuss draft monitor
specification
 27-31
EU to send comments to EPA and EPA to
review them
01 15
Industry to meter current models based on
refined test method
25 15
Final day for industry to submit test data to
EPA
 15
EPA to analyze data and prepare draft two of
the specification
16 04
EPA to confer with TCO during the
preparation of draft two
16 04
EPA to distribute second draft of specification
to industry and other stakeholders
 05
23
Industry and EU to send comments to EPA
and EPA to review them
06 09
EPA to prepare final specification 10 29
EPA to distribute final specification to
industry and other stakeholders
 30
EPA to work with industry to identify
potential venues to announce/promote new
specification. Prepare announcement, etc.
01
Interested manufacturers sign Partnership
Agreement
01
Tentative effective date of specification  01
Time Line for Revision of Computer
Monitor Specification (cont’d.)
24
What did the monitor industry
think about our draft
specification?
25
Key Industry Feedback Regarding
Draft Specification
• Industry expressed few concerns on having the new
specification include requirements for all three
operating modes: on, sleep, and off.
• With few exceptions, industry agreed to a pixel per watt
approach for on mode
• EPA and industry agreed to define a common test
method for measuring on mode power consumption.
Manufacturers to test and submit data once test
method is finalized
26
Key Industry Feedback Regarding
Draft Specification (cont’d)
• Should ENERGY STAR set one specification (one
line) that covers all CRT and LCD monitors, or should
the specification differentiate between CRTs and
LCDs (2 lines) ?
• Specification too stringent for CRTs, particularly for
the desktop publishing environment (e.g., large
screen sizes)
• Wake-up time for monitor. Industry wants more
guidance on how to measure/define wake-up time
27
Key Industry Feedback Regarding
Draft Specification (cont’d)
• Industry supports a single sleep mode specification,
as opposed to the current sleep and deep sleep
design
• 4-watt sleep mode specification is agreeable
• off mode of 2 watts may be difficult for LCDs
28
Key Industry Feedback Regarding
Draft Specification (cont’d)
• Several manufacturers questioned non-energy
requirements
• Specific concerns include:
– Brightness level will be harder to meet for larger
CRT monitors.
– EPA should reference ISO standards for contrast
ratio; CRTs and LCDs are measured differently.
– Pixel faults only applies to LCD monitors.
– Warranties could be a serious challenge with
retailers, and may not work in international
markets.
29
Next Steps...
30
Key Next Steps for EPA and
Industry
• Establish test procedure
• Industry to submit input to EPA on non-energy
parameters
• Manufacturers to test monitors according to new test
procedure and submit data to EPA.
• EPA to analyze new data and revise specifications,
as necessary.
31
Changes to specification based on
Industry Response
• May need to allow more CRTs to qualify
• large screen CRTs issue
• Scale down non-energy attributes
• Monitor wake-up time ?
• Test procedure
32
Questions ?
Comments ?
33
• Were their questions or comments on the first draft?
– Test procedure, non-energy attributes, etc....
• Like to submit next draft to you first provided we receive
comments in timely fashion (3 weeks)
• Can you provide data from European manufacturers?
Questions for You...
34
Sleep, Off, On Mode
and non-energy attributes
The Specifics
35
Sleep Mode
Current ENERGY STAR Specification:
• First Sleep:  15 W; Second Sleep:  8W
Proposed Specification:
• Just one level :  4 W; simplifies spec
• Under the new spec, sleep mode power is
about 10% of active mode power
• Roughly two-thirds of existing models can
meet the proposed sleep requirement.
36
Sleep Mode Questions
Verify consensus:
• Only 1 tier (no deep sleep)?
• Maximum power level : 4 W?
• Advisory levels set at right levels?
-Default time till sleep: < 15 minutes
-Recovery time: < 5 seconds
37
Off Mode
• Current specification: no standby power
limit.
• Current measured levels: some as high
as 8-9 W, several at 4-5 W.
• Proposed specification:  2 W.
• Lots of models currently meet the 2W
limit.
38
“Off” Mode Questions
• Verify Consensus:
– Is 2W the right level?
– Beneficial to have same level set in
Executive Order (not simply 1W)?
– Suggestions on how to harmonize with
European Union. (TCO)
39
On (Active) Mode Discussion
40
What Does The Term
“Energy Efficient Monitor” Mean?
• Efficiency = Useful Output or Service Provided / Total
Energy Input
• Useful output or service could be diagonal inches of
screen size, square inches of screen size, or total
pixels displayed
• Monitor not displaying information (providing useful
output) in sleep or standby modes, so minimize
power use at those times to achieve high overall
efficiency
• Can account for all energy use in all three modes
separately or with a duty cycle
• ENERGY STAR seeks to recognize top 25% efficiency
Estimated Annual Energy Use for
CRTs and LCDs
42
The Advantages of Pixels/Watt
• Pixels/watt approach has a number of key advantages:
• More technology neutral – avoids difference between
viewable screen size and total
• Screen area (square inches) unknown to consumers
• Credits CRTs for their present resolution advantage, yet
allows for very high resolution options like IBM’s new 9.1
million pixel LCD
• Emphasizes display quality over physical size
• Avoids difficulty of trying to estimate a representative “duty
cycle” for all monitors
• Simple, like lumens/watt (lighting) or CFM/watt (fans). Can
also be characterized as watts/megapixel
Effect of Resolution and Monitor Type on
Active Power Consumption
Effect of Resolution and Monitor Type on Active
Power Consumption for Monitors 17” and Less
Effect of Resolution and Monitor Type on Active
Power Consumption for Monitors Greater than 17”
46
Effect of Resolution and Monitor Size on
Active Power Consumption for LCD Monitors
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
0.00 250000.00 500000.00 750000.00 1000000.00 1250000.00 1500000.00 1750000.00 2000000.00 2250000.00 2500000.00 2750000.00 3000000.00
Millions of Pixels (horizontal X vertical resolution)
Watts
in
Active
Mode
< 16"
16-17"
18-20"
> 20"
Proposed Specification
47
Effect of Resolution and Monitor Size on
Active Power Consumption for CRT Monitors
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
0.00 250000.00 500000.00 750000.00 1000000.00 1250000.00 1500000.00 1750000.00 2000000.00 2250000.00 2500000.00 2750000.00 3000000.00
Millions of Pixels (horizontal X vertical resolution)
Watts
in
Active
Mode
< 16"
16-17"
18-20"
> 20"
Proposed Specification
48
Applying Active Power Spec to
Standard Resolutions
93 watts
3,145,728
2048 x 1536
82 watts
2,592,000
1800 x 1440
69 watts
1,920,000
UXGA
1600 x 1200
57 watts
1,310,720
SXGA
1280 x 1024
46 watts
786,432
XGA
1024 x 768
40 watts
480,000
SVGA
800 x 600
37 watts
307,200
VGA
640 x 480
Maximum Power Use
Total Pixels
Category
Resolution
49
Need for Consistent Measurement
• STAR database contains self-reported data from
manufacturers
• Not all monitors measured under identical
conditions in active or “on” mode
• Depending on user settings and image displayed,
CRT power variations can be +/- 30%. LCD
variations can be +/- 50%.
• ENERGY STAR has helped develop common test
methods to the ventilation and lighting industries –
may be able to bring standardization to monitor
measurements as well.
50
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Resolution Refresh Rate Brightness Contrast # of Colors Image Displayed Extremes
Setting
Watts
High
Low
Average
Effects of User Settings on Power
for a 21” CRT Monitor
51
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Resolution Refresh Rate Brightness Contrast # of Colors Image Displayed Extremes
Setting
Watts
High
Low
Average
Effects of User Settings on Power for a
17” LCD Monitor
52
Non-Energy Aspects of the
Specification
53
Why Include Non-Energy Attributes?
• Goal is to ensure a level playing field – maintain or
enhance quality while saving energy
• What aspects of product quality or performance could
be compromised if a manufacturer looked for a “quick
fix” to meet the new ENERGY STAR spec?
• ENERGY STAR and the utilities that support it want to
ensure that customers will have a satisfying
experience with labeled products.
• Reliability -- Saving energy is the product of power
savings and time (kwh = w*h). An energy efficient
product that fails early won’t save much energy.
54
55
Key Non-Energy Spec Provisions
• Brightness – Minimum of 100 nits at default
brightness and contrast settings
– LCDs typically 150 to 250 nits
– CRTs typically 80 to 120 nits
• Contrast ratio – Minimum of 200:1 (can adjust
settings to achieve this level)
– LCDs typically 200:1 to 400:1
– CRTs typically >400:1
• Without these specs, very dim or low contrast
screens could more easily meet ENERGY STAR but
may not satisfy users
56
Other Key Attributes
• Refresh rate – Minimum of 85 Hz for CRTs and 60
Hz for LCDs – attempt to preserve ergonomic quality
• Pixel faults – No more than 5 sub-pixel faults per
million sub-pixels (Class II, ISO 13406-2) – seek to
minimize quality differences between CRT & LCD
• Warranty – At least 2 years - 3 years common from
many major manufacturers, but spec recognizes
retailer preference for selling extended warranties
57
Other Possible Non-Energy
Attributes
• Viewing angle – How far from the horizontal and
vertical axes of the screen can it still be clearly seen?
• Wake from sleep time – How long before information
is legible on screen after wakeup? Is there a
consensus way to measure that?
• Pixel density – pixels per inch (PPI)
• Resolution/Addressability Ratio (RAR) – VESA
Section 6.6 – ability of a screen to resolve individual
lines or pixels
• Others?
58
Test Method Discussion
59
Elements of a Standard Test
Procedure
• Identical on-screen image (alternating black and
white lines 1 pixel in height?) filling full viewable area
of screen
• Default brightness and contrast settings (balance
between simplicity and risk of manipulation)
• Highest VESA supported resolution with a refresh
rate of at least 85 Hz for CRTs, native resolution and
60 Hz refresh rate for LCDs – is other timing
language needed?
60
Other Test Procedure Elements
• Reference VESA specifications for power
measurement – true RMS power at 3 combinations of
voltage and frequency, averaged across at least 5
test samples
– 100 VAC, 50 Hz; 117 VAC, 60 Hz; 230 VAC, 50 Hz
• Leave off or disconnect any included peripheral
features – TV tuner, microphone, speakers, USB
hubs, etc.
• Others?
61
Standardized Labeling Information on the Box
48,000 pixels/watt
1600 x 1200 pixels
2 watts
4 watts
40 watts
Energy Efficiency
Resolution
Energy Efficiency measures how much information can be displayed per watt of power used.
Higher numbers are better.
Off Power Use
Sleep Power Use
Active Power Use
62
ENERGY STAR Office
Equipment specification
revisions…
What does the future hold?
63
Future Specification Revisions
• Other Office Equipment
• Laptops (initiate research March 2002)
• Scanners, printers, copiers, MFDs, fax machines
– (Scanner USB issue; initiate research Sept. 2002)
• computer (initiate research mid-2003)
• Vision
• EU-EPA collaboration
• sleep, active power and standby power
• energy efficient power supplies
• USB driven products
• universal imaging specification