Energy efficiency of office equipment in commercial buildings: The case of Thailand

We present results of a study on energy-saving potential for office equipment including personal computer (PC) systems, printers, copiers, and facsimile machines in Thailand. Field surveys were undertaken to assess energy consumption in commercial buildings. The load patterns were monitored to determine the times spent in active, standby, suspend, and off modes. These data were combined with estimated diversity factors and power measurements in each mode to find the annual energy consumptions and energy-savings potentials. Idle losses are 53% for PC systems, 94% for copiers, 96% for dot matrix and ink-jet printers, 98% for laser printers, and 98% for fax machines. Office equipment accounts for only 2.2–5.6% of total energy consumption in the buildings audited; up to 25% of this annual energy consumption can be saved without extra costs. If all commercial buildings in Thailand have similar use patterns, the annual energy con- sumption and commercial peak-demand savings will be of the order of 700 GWh and 200 MW, respectively, by the year 2005.