User Guide for EPEAT Benefits Calculator
Introduction
This environmental benefits calculator, developed by the Global Electronics Council (GEC),
allows purchasers to assess the environmental benefits associated with purchasing IT products thatmeet the sustainability criteria of GEC’s EPEAT ecolabel — the leading global ecolabel for the IT sector.
By purchasing and using EPEAT-labeled IT products, organizations lessen their impact on the environment,
including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and generation of toxic substances and solid
waste. GEC’s calculator enables purchasers to quantify these and other environmental benefits associatedwith their purchase of sustainable IT products.
This benefits calculator covers three product categories - mobile phones, servers, and computers anddisplays (for criteria updated in 2018). For purchasing EPEAT imaging equipment and televisions, the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains similar benefits tools.1
For more information on the EPEAT program or the use of this calculator contact us at
EPEAT@GlobalElectronicsCouncil.org.

How the calculator estimates the lifecycle benefits of purchasing EPEAT products
A lifecycle approach is used to estimate the benefits of purchasing and using EPEAT products compared
to non-EPEAT products. The analysis captures environmental impacts associated with raw material
extraction, component, and product manufacturing and energy consumed during product use. The
lifecycle benefits estimate the reduction in impacts resulting from product design and manufacturingchanges reflected in EPEAT-registered products.
The end-of-life analysis (optional data entry) estimates the potential benefits of reusing and recycling the
EPEAT products when they are taken out of service compared to sending the products for disposal in
landfill. The calculator also estimates the additional environmental benefits that can result from keeping
the products in use longer before replacement, which avoids impacts associated with producing new
products and components.
The calculator uses LCA software2 to model the environmental impacts from producing, using, reusing
and recycling EPEAT registered products and baseline (non-EPEAT) products. Industry studies combinedwith expert review augmented the software data, as needed to address specific EPEAT criteria.
Benefit savings represent the difference in lifecycle impacts for EPEAT and non-EPEAT products, based on
performance criteria in the relevant product standards.3 All EPEAT products are assumed to meet the1

US EPA Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculators (EEBC) can be accessed athttps://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/electronic-product-environmental-assessment-tool-epeat.
2
PRe Consultants SimaPro LCA Software version 8.5.0.0. Models for EPEAT and non-EPEAT products, accessories,
packaging, and recycling were constructed in SimaPro using ecoinvent 3.4 unit process data sets (ecoinvent 3.4
database compiled November 2017)
3
American National Standard (ANSI)/Underwriters Laboratories (UL) ANSI/UL 110 Standard for Sustainability ofMobile Phones, Second Edition, March 24, 2017.

March 20191

required criteria in the standard. The optional criteria differentiate between the three EPEAT levels—
bronze, silver, and gold. Note that only those criteria that can be quantitatively measured at this time areincluded in the benefits calculations; for example, environmental benefits of providing a user or recycler
with documentation is not quantifiable. Appendix A summarizes the major data sources and assumptions
for EPEAT and non-EPEAT products.

Using the calculator
The EPEAT benefits calculator4 is separated into three product categories, or modules ‒ mobile phones,
servers, and computer and displays. The product specific section of the calculator can be accessed using
the product icons shown on the opening page. To run the calculator for one product category, enter data
into data entry fields, then hit the “Get Results” button. To run the calculator for multiple product types,
enter data into each product category using the product icons at the top of the page, and hit the “Get
Results” button after all data entry is complete. The calculator will store all data entered until the “Reset”
button is used, or the user leaves the calculator webpage, which allows the user to modify data entry, if
needed.

Required input
Before using the calculator, you will need to know the number of EPEAT products purchased and theregistered EPEAT levels (bronze, silver, gold). You will also be required to enter the region where theproducts are being used by using the drop-down menu. The regional choices are North America, Southand Central America, Europe, China, and Asia Oceania based on International Energy Agency (IEA) regional
statistics. If uncertain, see Appendix B for country listing by region.

Optional input
After entering the required data, you have the option of customizing your results by clicking on the
Optional Data Entry icon. The sections below explain how environmental benefits are calculated for
optional data inputs.

EnergyThe calculator estimates the environmental impacts from electricity production during the use phase
based on the IEA regional energy fuel mix for the IEA region selected in the required data section.
However, you can customize the cost of your electricity by entering the cost per kWh at your location in
the first optional entry box. After entering the value for the cost/kWh, use the drop-down menu to selectthe currency for the electricity cost you entered. For example, if a Canadian user enters the cost/kWhvalue corresponding to currency units of Canadian dollars, select “Dollars” from the drop-down currency
options. The cost savings shown in the results table will then show the energy savings in Canadian dollars(number of kWh saved multiplied by the cost/kWh in Canadian dollars). The calculator relies on your input

NSF International Standard (NSF)/American National Standard (ANSI) NSF/ANSI 426 Environmental Leadership andCorporate Social Responsibility Assessment of Servers, August 7, 2017.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society 1680.1™-2018 Standard forEnvironmental and Social Responsibility Assessment of Computers and Displays, February 15, 2018.
4
The EPEAT calculator is accessed through the GEC website at http://greenelectronicscouncil.org/.

March 20192and does not convert currency values. If you choose to skip the optional energy cost during user input,
the energy cost will be shown based on the US cost/kWh in US dollars.

Extended Product Use, Donating the Product for Reuse, and Recycling•

How long do you plan to use the products on average (in months)?
The calculator shows the environmental and economic savings resulting from using the productlonger than the calculator default, which varies by product (mobile phones 22.7 months; servers
48 months; desktop, notebook, tablet and integrated computers 48 months; monitor 72 months).
If you enter a value less than the default, the calculator assumes the default period of use.
Extending the product life will impact two phases: 1) savings during the product use phase, due
to the improved energy efficiency of the product (e.g., more energy efficient mobile phonecharging), and 2) savings from avoided production of a fraction of the product and packaging as
determined by length of the extended life. When viewing the main aggregated table, the usephase energy benefits of extending product life are reflected in the Purchasing EPEAT Products
row, and the avoided production benefits of extended use are included in the Optional Reuse andRecycling row.
In the more detailed lifecycle phase results table, the product use phase savings for extended
useful life are shown in the Product Energy Use row, and the savings for avoided production are
shown in the Optional Reuse and Recycling row. Note that the Optional Reuse and Recycling phaserow of the results table will also include impacts for any product reuse or recycling entered by theuser. Therefore, if you wish to view only the avoided production benefits for extended use by the
first user, enter the number of months for the extended life but do not enter any data into thereuse or recycling optional data entry fields.

•

How many of the products purchased do you plan to manage through reuse or recycling?
Mobile phones that go to a secondary user are assumed to undergo a minimal refurbishingprocess in which the battery is replaced, and the original battery is recycled. No other part
replacements or repairs are modeled. The calculator estimates the savings from avoiding the
production of a new baseline phone, with no projections about the fate of the mobile phone after
the secondary use. Refurbished phones are issued with a new adapter, charging cord, andpackaging, so production of these items is not avoided. The calculator estimates the impacts ofrecycling processes and assigns credits for avoiding virgin production of the materials recoveredfrom the recycled mobile phones and batteries. Recycling also avoids landfill disposal of the phone
and battery.
Servers that are returned to the original equipment manufacturer or recycler are assumed toundergo evaluation to determine which products can be reused, harvested for parts, and recycled.
The calculator estimates the reuse savings from avoiding the production of a new baseline server,
with no projections about the fate of the server after the secondary use. Servers harvested forMarch 20193

parts are disassembled/dismantled to extract memory devices, cables, batteries and mainboards
from the chassis. These components are either reused in new or remanufactured servers or
recycled. The fraction of servers not reused or harvested for parts are recycled.
Computer products reused by a secondary user are assumed to avoid the impacts from producing
a new baseline product, external power supply (for notebook and tablet), and packaging. Reused
desktop and integrated computers are assumed to be donated without a keyboard or mouse, so
production of these accessories is not avoided. Reused notebooks and tablets are assumed tohave the battery replaced, so production of a new battery is not avoided, and the reuse credits
are adjusted for the impacts of recycling the original battery. The calculator estimates the impactsof recycling processes and assigns credits for avoiding virgin production of the materials recoveredfrom the recycled products, as well as some energy credits for combustion of plastics. Recycling
also avoids landfill disposal of the product and battery.
•

Number of products disposed of at end of life?
Calculator automatically calculates the number of products going to landfill by subtracting thenumber of products reused and recycled from the number purchased. Note that if the user leaves
the reuse and recycling fields blank, no disposal of any type (including landfill) will be modeled.
If the user enters a zero in either or both reuse and recycling fields, purchased products notrecycled or reused will be modeled as landfilled.

Additional Customization•[For mobile phones] Average weight per unit
The calculator allows you to customize your mobile phone purchase by entering the weight ingrams of the mobile phone with battery (excluding adapters, charging cord, or packaging). Most
manufacturer specifications show the weight of the mobile phone with battery. The calculator
scales the weights of the display, housing, and battery as the mobile phone weight increases. The
other components such as the circuit board, capacitors, and camera are assumed to remain thesame as in the default mobile phone.

•[For servers and computer products] Are you purchasing some or all of the units entered above inbulk packaging?
Reducing excess packaging with bulk packaging containing multiple units lowers environmental
impacts from production of packaging material and from increased transportation efficiency. An
example of bulk packaging is four servers in a single box. The optional bulk packaging question
customizes EPEAT purchases for servers and/or computers and displays by applying the specified
percentage of units in bulk packaging to the number of products purchased at each EPEAT level.
If less than one hundred percent of the purchased units are purchased in bulk packaging, theremaining products are assumed to be packaged in single-product packaging.

March 20194•[For rack servers] Do the purchased rack servers have >2 CPUs per server?
Energy consumption during product use is a major contributor to the lifecycle environmental
impacts of servers. The rack server default assumption of 2 CPUs per server can be customized if
rack units are purchased with more than 2 CPUs per unit. Selecting this option (“yes”) replaces
the default energy consumption for 2 installed processors with energy consumption estimates forrack servers with greater than 2 installed processors, provided by EPA’s ENERGY STAR program.
ENERGY STAR values are calculated from the composite performance (numerator) and composite
power (denominator) of overall SERT scores for each products’ typical configuration.

Understanding the EPEAT benefits calculator results
The calculator displays the benefits of purchasing EPEAT products on a single page with expandable
sections. The aggregate benefit results are shown in the main table in two categories:••

Purchasing EPEAT Products
Optional Reuse and Recycling

See below for an explanation of the results, as well as options for viewing results by product and lifecycle
phase.
To view the data that you entered, click on the first expandable section “Data entered” which summarizes
data entered on the first page.
The results table includes 12 environmental and cost benefits. The calculator defaults with all benefit
categories selected and shown in the table. However, you have the option of viewing a selection ofindividual categories by checking or unchecking the individual benefit category boxes.
To return to the data entry page, use the product icon buttons at the top of the page.
Table 1 defines the key terms as used in the results tables.

Table 1. Definitions of Key Terms Used
Purchasing

Purchasing EPEAT products includes raw material extraction through productmanufacturing, transport, and product use. Purchasing does not include end of life
management of the product or any associated components.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing includes all steps from raw material extraction through productmanufacturing and transport for production of the product and packaging.
For mobile phone calculator, this includes the phone, battery, adapter, charging cord,and packaging.
For server calculator, manufacturing includes the server and its packaging. Rack servers
includes cables/power cords. The blade server modeled is the blade unit only, since theserver standard covers the blade unit only and excludes the shared enclosure.

March 20195

Table 1. Definitions of Key Terms Used
For computer products and display calculator, manufacturing includes the products,
cables/power cords, and packaging. Notebook and tablet computers manufacturing
includes an external power supply and long-life battery.
Use

Use of EPEAT products by the initial user is included in the aggregate Purchasing results.
The environmental benefits attributed to energy-efficiency of the product during use arebroken out in the detailed results by lifecycle phase.
Use of EPEAT products is credited for the reductions in electricity-related impacts due toenergy efficiency of EPEAT products during the period used by the initial user. Reduced
impacts from electricity consumption are based on average regional grid fuel mixes fromInternational Energy Agency (IEA) statistics for the geographical region chosen (North
America, South and Central America, Europe, China, and Asia Oceania). See Appendix B
for country listing by region.
Energy savings during use are calculated based on kWh saved and the cost per kWhentered by the user in the currency selected by the user. If no currency is specified, thecalculator uses US cost per kWh in US dollar.

End of life
management(optional)

The optional section of the calculator has several options that affect the end of life
results for purchased phones:• Reuse by a secondary user
• Recycling• Landfill
Users can leave this section blank, in which case no end of life modeling of the EPEAT
products is included. If the user enters any number of purchased phones for any end oflife option(s), the purchased products with no fate specified are modeled as going tolandfill.
Impacts from end of life management options (reuse, recycling or landfilling of the EPEAT
products) are not included in the impacts estimated for purchasing.

Benefits
Table 2 lists the environmental and economic benefits with a short description for each. These
explanations are also available by clicking the information icon for each metric on the results page.
Total energy savings is displayed with two units of measurement to meet the most common reporting
requirements (megajoules and kilowatt hour equivalents).
Savings are shown to two decimal places. For some categories such as toxic materials, the results may be<0.01. However, when <0.01 appears in the results for non-hazardous solid waste, water consumption,and non-hazardous solid waste disposal costs, this may indicate a situation where increased use ofrecycled content or recyclable fiber in EPEAT products or packaging results in trade offs. For example,
March 20196

recycled plastic requires more water consumption during the recycling process compared to productionof virgin resins but use of recycled plastic results in benefits in other categories such as reduced energy
consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Table 2. Benefits of Purchasing EPEAT Products
BenefitDescription
Total energy savings (inmegajoules and kilowatt hour
equivalents)

Total energy used during the lifecycle of the equipment,from point of extraction; results include both renewable andnon-renewable energy sources.

Greenhouse gas emissions
expressed as global warming
potential (kg CO2 eq)

Represents the heat trapping capacity of the greenhousegases released during the lifecycle. Important emissions: CO2
fossil, CH4, N2O, chlorinated and fluorinated hydrocarbons.

Non-hazardous solid waste

Total weight of fuel-related, process-related andpostconsumer wastes disposed from the product lifecycle.

Water consumption

Freshwater withdrawals which are evaporated, incorporated
into products and waste, transferred to different
watersheds, or disposed into the sea after usage.

Acidification potential

Addition of acids (e.g., nitric acid and sulfuric acid) into theenvironment, or emissions of other substances (e.g.,ammonia) that increase the acidity of the environment due
to various chemical reactions and/or biological activity.
Acidification can cause damage to forests, ecosystems, andbuildings. Important emissions include SO2, NOx, NH3, HCl,
HF, H2S, and more.
Characterizes potential of emissions to form reactive
substances (e.g. tropospheric ozone) that can cause harm tohuman health and vegetation. Important emissions include
NOx, BTEX, NMVOC, CH4, etc.

Smog formation potential

Eutrophication potential

Assesses impacts from excessive load of macro-nutrients(nitrates, phosphates) to the environment, which can lead toresults such as algal blooms and fish kills. Importantemissions include NH3, NOx, COD and BOD, N and P
compounds.

Toxic material used in the productTotal mass of toxic and restricted substances in devices.

Material conservation

Reduction in mass of virgin material consumption due toincreased recycled content of EPEAT devices and packaging.

Non-hazardous solid waste
disposal cost

Cost of non-hazardous waste disposal.

March 20197

Table 2. Benefits of Purchasing EPEAT Products
BenefitDescription
Cost savings for energy use

Costs associated with the electricity used during the usefullife of the equipment.

Results report levels
The calculator displays the results in several ways.

Reduction in Environmental Impacts and Costs Resulting from Purchasing EPEAT
Aggregate results are presented in the main table for Purchasing EPEAT Products and the Optional Reuse
and Recycling data entry, if applicable. Purchasing EPEAT products includes the reduction in impacts andcosts associated with raw material extraction through product manufacturing and transport plus theenergy savings associated with electricity consumption during use by the initial user. This high level display
sums all products and all EPEAT levels into a single value for each metric.

Show me more details Reduction in Environmental Impacts and Costs
A series of expandable tables allows you to see more detailed results, including: By Product Category, By
Product Type, and By Lifecycle Phase. Clicking on the + symbol displays the benefit reductions in moredetail.
•By Product Category: This table displays the benefits of purchasing EPEAT mobile phones, servers,and computer and displays which includes the benefits for raw material extraction through EPEAT
product manufacturing and transport plus the energy savings associated with electricity
consumption during use by the initial user. The summation of these three rows is equal to thehigh-level results shown in the aggregate results table discussed above.

•

By Product Type: Since the calculator only estimates saving for one type of mobile phone, theseresults are the same as results for By Product Category. For servers and computer products, thistable breaks down the results by the product types included on the data input page, including:
two types of servers (rack and blade) and five computer product types (desktop computer,computer display, notebook computer, tablet computer, and integrated desktop computer).

•

By Lifecycle Phase –The benefits of raw material extraction through manufacturing and transport,
energy savings associated with electricity consumption during use by the initial user, and end oflife management of EPEAT products are shown in this table.
The summation of the first two rows (Raw Material Extraction Through Manufacturing andTransport and Product Energy Use) is equal to the product results shown in the By ProductCategory table.
The Optional Reuse and Recycling rows shows the reduction in environmental impacts resulting
from reuse and recycling of EPEAT products at end of life. If the initial user has extended the usefullife beyond the calculator’s default value, the benefits of avoiding production of a new productand packaging are included. Savings are based on not producing a fraction of new products, as

March 20198

determined by length of the extended life. If you choose not to enter any reuse, recycling or
extended life optional data, no results will show in this row.
The Total All Lifecycle Phases row is a summation of the three rows in these tables.

Excel Download
Below the benefits results table, there is an Excel Download button. Clicking on this will generate an Exceltable with your data input and results that can be used for reporting purposes.

Equivalencies table
The last expandable table shows the aggregate benefits results as equivalencies. The calculator translates
your results into familiar tangible terms, such as the number of households that could be powered by theenergy savings benefit from purchasing EPEAT products or the equivalent number of US households’
annual trash represented by the non-hazardous solid waste savings (reduction) benefit. The equivalencies
are calculated using the Total row under Reduction in Environmental Impacts and Costs Resulting fromPurchasing EPEAT (third line of results). If you want to calculate equivalencies for other rows of results,
click on Data and Assumptions for Equivalencies, which can be applied to the respective results.

Calculator Development
GEC, working with Eastern Research Group (ERG), developed this new benefits calculator. ERG previously
developed and maintained the US EPA Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator (EEBC), which will
help maintain consistency in approach and output between the EPA calculator and the new GEC EPEAT
benefits calculator. GEC engaged an external technical review panel comprised of representatives fromindustry, government, academia, technical consultancies, and organizations purchasing IT products, toreview the data, assumptions and analysis underlying the calculator results.
GEC extends its appreciation to the many individuals that contributed to the technical review of theextensive data and analysis supporting the benefits calculations and that provided feedback on the webbased calculator. Technical reviewers included: Callie Babbitt, Rochester Institute of Technology; Cate
Berard, U.S. Department of Energy; Christina Bocher, DEKRA; John Clinger, ICF (supporting U.S. ENERGYSTAR); Holly Elwood, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Stacey Foreman, City of Portland, Oregon;
Derek Hellar; Hewlett Packard Enterprise; Bill Hoffman, UL Environment; Stephanie Le Clerc, McGill
University; Karsten Schischke, Anton Berwald, Marina Proske and Lutz Stobbe, Fraunhofer IZM ; andFallight Xu, TÜV Rheinland.

March 20199

Appendix A. Data Sources and Assumptions for EPEAT and Non-EPEAT Products

Mobile phones

Mobile phone composition is based on the bill of materials for a smart phone shown in Güvendik, M.
2014. From Smartphone to Futurephone: Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Different Circular
Economy Scenarios of a Smartphone Using LCA. August 31.
Some adjustments were made to the battery composition and metal use in the mobile phone basedon expert review.
Mobile phone weight (128.97 grams) including battery is based on adjusted bill of materials. Weight
does not include adapter, charging cord, or packaging.
Mobile phone life default is 22.7 months unless user enters data in the optional section for extended
life. If entered product life is less than the default, the calculator will assume the default value.
Extending product life benefits are compared to default life of EPEAT mobile phone (22.7 months).
Savings are based on not producing a fraction of new product, battery, adapter, charging cord, andpackaging, as determined by length of the extended life. The avoided new phone fraction is calculated
as (user-specified months of use - 22.7 months) / 22.7.
If mobile phone is used longer than default battery life (56.4 months), a replacement battery is
required, the fraction for new product battery is not credited, and overall savings are reduced by the
impacts of recycling the old battery.
Reuse through donation to another user is modeled as follows:• Each phone reused is credited with avoiding impacts for producing a new baseline phone.
• Refurbished phones are assumed to have the battery replaced before reissue, so production burdensof a new battery are included. The reuse credits are adjusted for the impacts of recycling the original
battery.
• Refurbished phones are issued with a new adapter, charging cord, and packaging, so production ofthese items is not avoided. No assumptions are made about the fate of the mobile phone after thesecondary use.
Recycling benefits are estimated relative to landfill disposal of EPEAT phone. The calculator estimates
the benefits of recycling the purchased phone as follows:• Recycling process impacts for mobile phones are based on Ecoinvent data for treatment of electronic
waste and batteries, and subsequent separation and refining of metals recovered from electronic
waste.
• Amounts of recovered metals are based on amounts of metals in the components of the phone andbattery and published recovery rates for metals from recycling of phones and batteries. The end
amounts of refined metals recovered from mobile phone and battery recycling are credited withdisplacing production of equivalent amounts of virgin refined metals.
The impacts of landfilling are limited to the weight of the phone (including battery) that would be
disposed to a landfill. No impacts are modeled for potential long-term degradation or leaching ofphone materials over time in the landfill. The model does not include impacts for recycling or disposalof adapters, charging cord, or phone packaging since user may keep adapters and charging cord as
backups when they dispose of phone.
Non-hazardous solid waste disposal costs are based on US 2013 average landfill tipping fee ($50.59
per short ton). The US disposal cost is used to quantify landfill disposal regardless of the use region
selected by the user.

March 201910

Mobile phone
EPEAT criteria
assumptions[criterion 8.1.2] Post-consumer recycled plastic content in the mobile phone is calculated as apercentage of total plastic (by weight) in the mobile phone.
Based on the EPEAT registry, the calculator assumes 5% recycled content for bronze level and 10%
for both silver and gold levels.
[criterion 8.1.3] Post-consumer recycled plastic content in the accessories (adapter and charging cord)
is calculated as a percentage of total plastic (by weight) in the mobile phone.
Based on the EPEAT registry, the calculator assumes 0% recycled content for bronze and silver levels
and 5% for gold level.
[criterion 9.2.2] DEHP, DBP, and BBP levels are assumed at zero for EPEAT levels since phthalates arein PVC, and manufacturers are eliminating PVC from devices and replacing PVC cord coatings withmaterials like thermoplastic elastomers.
[criterion 9.2.3] Chlorine levels are based on maximum Cl level allowed by the product standard incharging cord coating. Bromine levels are assumed at zero in circuit board resin, based on industry
expert review. Due to lack of ecoinvent data on flame retardant production, the manufacture of flame
retardants (brominated and non-brominated) are not included in the calculator.
[criteria 10.1.2 & 10.1.4] Energy efficiency based on Federal Energy Conservation Standards forBattery Chargers Final Rule and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Efficiency Regulations for ExternalPower Supplies. Differentiation between EPEAT levels based on manufacturer declarations in EPEAT
registry.
[criterion 12.1.1] Use of recyclable fiber-based packaging materials for EPEAT silver and gold levels
is based on manufacturer declarations in EPEAT registry (70% silver, and 86% gold). Bronze wasassumed at 50% based on consultant judgement.
[criterion 12.3.1] Use of post-consumer recycled plastic packaging for EPEAT silver and gold levels isbased on manufacturer declarations in EPEAT registry (10% silver, and 12% gold). Bronze wasmodeled conservatively at 0% based on consultant judgement.
[criterion 12.5.1] Recycled content of chipboard packaging and corrugated packaging materials are
assumed to meet the minimum requirements of the product standard (80% and 35%, respectively)
for EPEAT products.
[criterion 12.6.2] Environmentally preferable paper/paperboard for printed content assumed at theminimum level recycled content required by the product standard (60%) for the silver and gold EPEAT
levels. Bronze was modeled conservatively at 0% based on consultant judgement.
[criterion 12.9.1] Improved packaging efficiency was assumed for silver and gold levels at 38% and
60% reductions in packaging volume, respectively, based on reporting in the EPEAT registry.
Corresponding reductions in packaging weights were estimated based on a report on packaging
reductions for a large mobile phone company.

March 201911

[criterion 15.4.1] Reduction of fluorinated gas emissions in flat panel display manufacturing is basedon EPEAT registry responses for silver and gold level products applied to fluorinated gas emissions
data for LCD screen manufacturing from an industry study.
Non-EPEAT(baseline) mobile
phonesNon-EPEAT baseline mobile phone was assumed to reflect average technology. In cases where
standards specified recycled content criteria for EPEAT products, the non-EPEAT product wasmodeled with 0% recycled content. The non-EPEAT baseline mobile phone was not assumed to meetthe sustainability criteria listed for EPEAT mobile phones.
Chlorine and bromine levels for non-EPEAT is based on Cl in weight of charging cord coating (assuming
PVC) and average Br level in circuit board resin is based on use of TBBPA flame retardant.
GHG emissions for paper/paperboard point-of-sale packaging in non-EPEAT mobile phone were
estimated to be 5% higher than EPEAT mobile phones packaging using sustainably sourced fiber. This
assumption is based on an industry study.

Servers

Server composition is based on the bill of materials for a 2 RU (rack unit) 2 CPU server and a 2 CPU
blade server shown in Bio by Deloitte (2015), Preparatory study for implementing measures of theEcodesign Directive 2009/125/EC DG ENTR Lot 9 - Enterprise servers and data equipment - Task 5:
Environment & Economics.
Energy consumption data provided by U.S. ENERGY STAR program, based on SERT scores which
incorporate energy efficiency for active state and idle state power management. EPEAT servers
assumed to meet ENERGY STAR version 3.0 with 2 installed processors (rack and blade servers).
Optional data input (available for rack servers only) uses energy consumption data for greater than 2
installed processors per rack server.
Server life default is 48 months unless user enters data in the optional section for extended life. If
entered product life is less than the default, the calculator will assume the default value.
Extending product life benefits are compared to default life of EPEAT servers (48 months). Savings are
based on not producing a fraction of new product, cables, and packaging, as determined by length ofthe extended life. The avoided new server fraction is calculated as (user-specified months of use - 48
months) / 48.
Using equipment longer may avoid production of newer more energy efficient products. Calculator
measures extended life benefits on servers modeled and does not predict future technology changes.
Reuse and recycling benefits of servers collected by original equipment manufacturer or recycler aremodeled as follows:
Reuse and recycling benefits are those realized through processing and do not cover collection
burdens.
Net impacts per server collected for reuse and recycling include 50% of servers reused and 50%
recycled. Of servers reused, half (25%) assumed to be reused as whole servers with parts scavenged
from other half (25%) of servers reused; remainder of scavenged servers are assumed to be recycled.
Each server reused is credited with avoiding impacts for producing a new baseline server.

March 201912

Recycling benefits are estimated relative to landfill disposal of EPEAT servers. The calculator estimates
the benefits of recycling the purchased server as follows:
Recycling process impacts are based on Ecoinvent data for treatment of electronic waste andbatteries, and subsequent separation and refining of metals recovered from electronic waste.
Recycling includes recovery of metals, waste-to-energy of plastics, recycling of electronic
components, and recycling of batteries.
Amounts of recovered metals are based on amounts of metals in the components of the servers andpublished recovery rates for metals from recycling of computer products. The end amounts of refined
metals recovered from server recycling are credited with displacing production of equivalent amountsof virgin refined metals.
The impacts of landfilling are limited to the weight of the servers that would be disposed to a landfill.
No impacts are modeled for potential long-term degradation or leaching of server materials over timein the landfill. The model does not include impacts for recycling or disposal of server packaging.
Non-hazardous solid waste disposal costs are based on US 2013 average landfill tipping fee ($50.59
per short ton). The US disposal cost is used to quantify landfill disposal regardless of the use region
selected by the user.

Server
EPEAT criteria
assumptions[criterion 5.1.1] EPEAT servers assumed to meet ENERGY STAR version 3.0 Final Specification –September 17, 2018.
[criterion 5.3.1] Power supply energy efficiency based on 80 Plus Program Titanium level performance(96%) applied to Gold level EPEAT servers[criterion 5.4.2] Server inactive power state #1 is assumed at 0.5% reduction in power consumption
for silver and gold EPEAT servers. 0.5% is a placeholder assumption until data become available.
[criterion 6.1.3] Chlorine levels in baseline products are based on Cl content in PVC parts; assumed atzero for EPEAT per tech review comments on corresponding criterion for mobile phones. Bromine
levels are assumed at zero in circuit board resin, based on industry expert review. Due to lack ofecoinvent data on flame retardant production, the manufacture of flame retardants (brominated andnon-brominated) are not included in the calculator.
[criterion 6.3.1] Fluorinated emission (F-GHG) reduction for CPU manufacturing based on World
Semiconductor Council. Best Practice Guidance for Semiconductor PFC Emission Reduction. May 18,
2017; adjusted based on industry expert review.
Baseline and bronze level servers assumed at 30% reduction over reported 2010 reference point;silver and gold EPEAT levels assumed at 90% reduction over 2010 reference point.
[criterion 7.1.4] Credit given for rare earth metal recovery from HDD magnets, based on data provided
by industry experts. Credits given to silver and gold EPEAT products reduce the net amount of virgin
Nd and Dy needed.
[criteria 7.1.1 & 7.1.3] Post-consumer recycled plastic content in plastic parts in the server. The
calculator assumes bronze EPEAT server recycled content of 16% for rack and 8% for blade servers,
based on the EPEAT registry. Criterion 7.1.3 minimum recycled content levels assumed for silver (16%for rack and 10% for blade) and gold (25% for both rack and blade).

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[criteria 8.3.1 & 8.3.2] Recycled fiber in corrugated packaging is assumed at 25% for bronze level and
50% for silver and gold levels based on sustainability criteria. Baseline level is assumed at 10% basedon EPA’s WARM Version 14 documentation.
[criterion 8.4.2] Bulk packaging is optional user data entry. Savings, based on industry data, will beapplied to all EPEAT levels if user selects bulk packaging. Cartons 50% reduction; HDPE/ unspecified
plastics 75% reduction; GPPS/ Styrofoam 80% reduction. Transportation volume 50% reduction.
Non-EPEAT(baseline) servers

Non-EPEAT baseline servers were assumed to reflect average technology, and not to meet thesustainability criteria modeled for EPEAT-registered products as outlined above. For recycled plastic
content criteria, for example, the non-EPEAT product was modeled with 0% recycled content.
Chlorine and bromine levels for non-EPEAT is based on Cl in weight of PVC components and average
Br level in circuit board resin is based on use of TBBPA flame retardant.

Computerproducts anddisplays

Composition: Desktop computer is based on the Ecoinvent bill of material (BOM) for "Computer,desktop, without screen {GLO} production"
Monitor display is based on the Ecoinvent BOM for "Display, liquid crystal, 17 inches {GLO}
production," adjusted with HP Product Material Content Information, June 2018. Accessed at
http://h20195.www2.hp.com/V2/getpdf.aspx/c05117791.pdf
Notebook and tablet computers are based on BOMs shown in Talens Peiró, L., Ardente, F.,
Mathieux, F., 2016. Analysis of material-efficiency aspects of Energy-related Product for thedevelopment of EU Ecolabel criteria — Analysis of product groups: personal computers andelectronic displays. (doi:10.2788/642541)
Integrated computer is based on the BOM shown in Maya-Drysdale, Larisa, et al. Preparatory study
on the Review of Regulation 617/2013 (Lot 3) Computers and Computer Servers Task 4 report
Technologies Final version for consultation. February 2, 2017. Prepared for: European Commission
DG ENER C.3 with additional composition detail on the Apple iMac integrated desktop fromhttp://images.apple.com/environment/pdf/products/desktops/27inch_iMacR5K_PER_Oct2015.pdf).

Desktop, notebook, tablet, and integrated computer life defaults are 48 months and the monitor life
default is 72 months, unless user enters data in the optional section for extended life. If enteredproduct life for any product is less than the default, the calculator will assume the default value.
Extending product life benefits are compared to default life of EPEAT products (48 or 72 months).
Savings are based on not producing a fraction of new product, accessories, and packaging, as
determined by length of the extended life. For example, the avoided new desktop fraction is
calculated as (user-specified months of use - 48 months) / 48.
Using equipment longer may avoid production of newer more energy efficient products. Calculator
measures extended life benefits on computer and display products as modeled and does not predict
future technology changes.
For extended use of notebooks and tablets past the life of the battery, impacts for battery
replacement are included in the Use phase results.

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Reuse and recycling benefits of computer and display products reused by a second user or recycled
by the original owner are modeled as follows:
Reuse and recycling benefits are those realized through processing and do not cover collection
burdens.
Net impacts per product collected for reuse is credited with avoiding impacts for producing a new
baseline product, external power supply, and packaging. Reused desktop and integrated computers
are donated without a keyboard or mouse, so production of these accessories is not avoided. Reused
laptops and notebooks have the battery replaced, so production of a new battery is not avoided, andthe reuse credits are adjusted for the impacts of recycling the original battery.
Recycling benefits are estimated relative to landfill disposal of EPEAT computer and display products.
The calculator estimates the benefits of recycling the purchased products as follows:
Recycling process impacts are based on Ecoinvent data for treatment of electronic waste andbatteries, and subsequent separation and refining of metals recovered from electronic waste.
Recycling includes recovery of metals, recovery of some plastic in housings (ABS, polycarbonate,
HDPE), waste-to-energy combustion of other plastics, recycling of electronic components, andrecycling of batteries.
Amounts of recovered plastics based on percentages shown in EPA’s WARM Version 14
documentation. The end amounts of recovered plastic are credited with displacing equivalentamounts of virgin plastics.
Amounts of recovered metals are based on amounts of metals in the components of the products
and published recovery rates5 for metals from recycling of computer products. The end amounts ofrefined metals recovered are credited with displacing production of equivalent amounts of virginrefined metals.

Computerproducts anddisplays
EPEAT criteria
assumptions

The impacts of landfilling are limited to the weight of the computer and display products that would
be disposed to a landfill. No impacts are modeled for potential long-term degradation or leaching ofproduct materials over time in the landfill. The model does not include impacts for recycling or
disposal of product packaging.
• Non-hazardous solid waste disposal costs are based on US 2013 average landfill tipping fee ($50.59
per short ton). The US disposal cost is used to quantify landfill disposal regardless of the use region
selected by the user.
[criterion 4.5.1.1] EPEAT products assumed to meet ENERGY STAR Program Requirements ProductSpecification for Computers. Version 7.0 and Product Specification for Displays. Version 7.1.
Notebook, tablet, and integrated computers based on ENERGY STAR Program Requirements ProductSpecification for Computers. Version 7.0. Rev. October 2018.
Desktop and monitor energy consumption based on ENERGY STAR unpublished data (December2018).
[criterion 4.5.1.3] EPEAT minimum standard for energy efficiency for internal power supplies (asstated in ENERGY STAR 7.0 Table 2 at 50% load) assumed for bronze (90%); silver assumed at 1 point

5

Tecchio P., Ardente F., Marwede M., Clemm C., Dimitrova G. Mathieux F. Analysis of material efficiency aspects ofpersonal computers product group. January 2018. (https://computerregulationreview.eu/documents)

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higher (91%); gold assumed at 2 points higher (92%). ENERGY STAR use phase power consumption
data are used for bronze devices and assumed to include internal power supply efficiency. Energy use
for silver and gold devices are adjusted for the higher internal power supply efficiency compared tobronze.
[criterion 4.5.1.4] Energy efficiencies for external power supplies (relevant for notebooks and tablets)
are based on the International External Power Supply Efficiency Level VI “International Efficiency
Marking Protocol for External Power Supplies Version 3.0, September 2013”. Average efficiency levelof 88% is assumed for bronze level. Silver and gold levels assumed at 1 point higher (89%); baseline
level assumed at 1 point lower (87%).
[criterion 4.1.5.1] Chlorine levels in baseline products are based on Cl content in PVC parts; assumed
at zero for EPEAT per tech review comments on corresponding criterion for mobile phones. Bromine
levels for EPEAT products are assumed at zero in circuit board resin, based on industry expert review.
Due to lack of ecoinvent data on flame retardant production, the manufacture of flame retardants(brominated and non-brominated) are not included in the calculator.
[criterion 4.1.10.1] Average F-GHG emissions per m2 of notebook and tablet display for best
manufacturers from “Electronic Industry Citizen Coalition, 2016. Assessing and Reducing F-GHGs in
the Electronics Supply Chain.” March. Accessed May 11, 2018. Baseline and bronze level assumed ataverage for notebook and tablet flat panel manufacturing (57 kg CO2 eq/m2 and 77 kg CO2 eq/m2).
Tablet emission rate per m2 also used for displays and integrated desktop screen areas. Silver andgold assumed as a reduction from the baseline level (-8% and -39% of baseline) using phone registrydata downloaded 04-24-2018 as surrogate.
[criterion 4.1.10.2] Fluorinated emission (F-GHG) reduction per m2 of semiconductor manufacturing
based on World Semiconductor Council. Best Practice Guidance for Semiconductor PFC Emission
Reduction. May 18, 2017; adjusted based on industry expert review. Amounts of manufactured wafer
input per device are based on the device models constructed from the BOMs for each device modeledin SimaPro LCA software. Baseline and bronze level servers assumed at 30% reduction over reported
2010 reference point; silver and gold EPEAT levels assumed at 90% reduction over 2010 reference
point.
[criterion 4.2.1.1] Post-consumer recycled plastic content in plastic parts in computer products anddisplays based on the minimum standard criterion 4.2.1.1 for bronze level products (2%).
Average recycled content shown in EPEAT registry download (November 5, 2018) assumed for silver
and gold level products. Silver level EPEAT desktop (5%); monitor (19%); notebook (5%); tablets:(2%); integrated desktop computer (3%). Gold level EPEAT desktop (16%); monitor (24%); notebook(5%); tablets: (2%); integrated desktop computer (32%)[criterion 4.4.1.2] Long life rechargeable battery is assumed for all EPEAT notebooks and tablets (4year battery life). Baseline product battery life assumed at 2 years. Battery composition was assumed
the same for long life and baseline batteries; benefits calculation is based on less frequent
replacement of long-life batteries resulting in fewer batteries produced.
[criterion 4.7.3.2] Recycled fiber in corrugated packaging is assumed at 50% for all EPEAT levels basedon range shown in various manufacturer environmental product declarations; assume balance
required to meet standard criterion 4.7.3.2 is sustainably sourced virgin material. Baseline level isassumed at 10% based on EPA’s WARM Version 14 documentation.

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[criterion 4.7.4.1] Bulk packaging is optional user data entry. Savings, based on industry data, will beapplied to all EPEAT levels if user selects bulk packaging. Cartons, molded paper pulp, LDPE bags,
unspecified plastics 32% reduction by weight. Transportation volume 50% reduction.

Non-EPEAT(baseline)
computer anddisplay products

Non-EPEAT baseline computer and display products were assumed to reflect average technology, andnot to meet the sustainability criteria modeled for EPEAT-registered products as outlined above. For
recycled plastic content criteria, for example, the non-EPEAT product was modeled with 0% recycledcontent.
Chlorine and bromine levels for non-EPEAT is based on Cl in weight of PVC components, and average
Br level in circuit board resin is based on use of TBBPA flame retardant.

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Appendix B
International Energy Agency (IEA) Regional Groupings Used in the EPEAT Calculator*
1

OECD Americas*

Canada; Mexico and the United States.

2

Non-OECD Americas*

Argentina; Plurinational State of Bolivia (Bolivia); Brazil; Colombia; Costa Rica; Cuba;
Curacao; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; El Salvador; Guatemala; Haiti; Honduras;
Jamaica; Nicaragua; Panama; Paraguay; Peru; Suriname (from 2000); Trinidad andTobago; Uruguay; Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Venezuela) and Other non-OECD
Americas.

Other non-OECD Americas

Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Bermuda; British Virgin
Islands; Cayman Islands; Dominica; Falkland Islands (Malvinas); French Guiana; Grenada;
Guadeloupe; Guyana; Martinique; Montserrat; Puerto Rico10 (for natural gas andelectricity); Saba (from 2012); Saint Eustatius (from 2012); Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint
Lucia; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Sint Maarten (from2012); Suriname (until 1999); and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

3

OECD Europe

Austria; Belgium; the Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany;
Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Ireland; Italy; Latvia; Luxembourg; the Netherlands; Norway;
Poland; Portugal; the Slovak Republic; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey andthe United Kingdom.

4

China (including Hong Kong)

People's Republic of China and Hong Kong, China.

5OECD Asia Oceania

Australia; Israel; Japan; Korea and New Zealand.

* Chile moved from OECD Americas to Non-OECD Americas
Reference: International Energy Agency. WORLD ENERGY BALANCES: DATABASE DOCUMENTATION (2017 edition). Chapter 5:
Geographical Coverage. http://wds.iea.org/wds/pdf/WORLDBAL_Documentation.pdf

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