Online calculator measures environmental impact of office machines

The Sustainability Calculator is said to be the first in the industry to answer, “How green is your office?”

Developed by Xerox Corp., based in Norwalk, Conn., the calculator measures the overall environmental impact of printers, copiers and multifunction devices made by Xerox and other vendors.

The calculator analyzes and tracks energy use, waste and greenhouse gas emissions of document technology used in a particular office. After inputting the data, an individual receives how-to tips and advice about how to make his or her office greener and more efficient. Goals are to reduce the environmental impact of office machines and cut costs associated with operating the equipment.

Designed with proprietary software, algorithms and document assessment research, the calculator can deliver data about an organization’s entire fleet of office machines. Users also receive information ranging from the impact of duplex printing to using different paper stocks.

Northrop Grumman weighs in with savings

For Northrop Grumman Corp., a global defense and technology company, the calculator was used to evaluate office machines in one sector of the company. This sector had more than 2,000 printers, including hundreds of multifunction printers and stand-alone copiers.

Xerox populated the calculator with metrics such as equipment specifications and usage patterns with the original number of devices. Based on Xerox recommendations, Northrop Grumman optimized its office flow by reducing the number of office machines to 1,100 devices.

Thanks to information supplied by the calculator, Northrop Grumman saved 27 percent in energy usage, 26 percent in greenhouse gas emissions and 33 percent in solid waste.

"Northrop Grumman is developing a variety of strategies to reduce our company's environmental impact," said Kraig Scheyer, vice president of administrative services for Northrop Grumman. "Xerox's Sustainability Calculator has been helping us in the area of office equipment to measure how far we've come, where we are today and where we need to focus our efforts in the future."

Xerox will report metrics on Northrop Grumman's office equipment throughout the year as the company continues to simplify the office settings of six other sectors.

“The goal for the Xerox Sustainability Calculator is to point customers in the right direction, to identify opportunities where the reduced impact to the environment can be balanced with boosting the bottom line,” said Patricia Calkins, vice president of Xerox’s Environment, Health and Safety Division.

To access the online Sustainability Calculator, click here.