Energy Efficiency Labelling for Computers: How Can Product Groups be Covered?

Energy efficiency labelling is a widely used approach to inform consumers about the environmental impact of products. Consumer information on product properties, based on reliable data and presented in an appropriate manner, is key to inform, and ideally trigger, sustainable purchase decisions by consumers. Within the European Union the well-established energy labels with a comparative scale from most to least efficient (depicted as classes from A to G) were first introduced in 1994 for some household appliances [1]. Since then, the labels have been extended for further product groups and periodically revised, and a corresponding label is currently being developed for computers. In this paper, we describe the development of the label based on benchmarking tests and a stakeholder process. We lay focus on how product families are represented, meaning the different configurations on the market for the same base model. This is a specific challenge for this product group, which to this extend is not the case for other energy-related products under the Energy Labelling Framework Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 so far: For any given computer model, numerous technical configurations are possible, including possibly variations in CPU, memory capacity, graphics card and mass storage capacity, all marketed under the same model identifier. This means that enormous effort would be needed in order to test every single combination. The logistics of treating each configuration individually and to provide individual labels per configuration would be another challenge for manufacturers and retail alike. Therefore, the specific aim of this paper is to analyze different approaches as to how to simplify the measurement of entire product families for labelling and to discuss their effects, advantages and limitations. Conceivable options include, among others: using mean values of selected configuration picks, testing worst performing configurations and testing of best-selling configurations. In order to study the various options, we analyze the test results of roughly 250 computers, we investigate how the results deviate from the reference, and we discuss what this entails for their validity. As a closure and based on the discussion of the different options, recommendations will be developed for adjustments to the upcoming EU Energy Label for computers.