HP Process Improvements

HP Process Improvements

• HP’s facility energy management program works to minimize electricity and gas use without adversely affecting business operations. It ensures that energy efficiency is built into facilities to improve the use of lighting, heating, IT, ventilation and cooling systems. Global standards for temperature settings, lighting levels and operation schedules ensure that energy is conserved throughout the facility’s operational life.  Examples include:
  • Erskine, UK. Installed energy efficiency controllers to 25 pumps and air handling motors, which reduced their energy consumption by 46%, saving 482,000 kWh/year ($38,600). 
  • Singapore. Installed a solids filtration system to the facility’s air conditioning system. This decreased bacteria growth, reduced the need for water and water treatment chemicals, and the level of required maintenance. This change will save 90,000 kWh/year ($7,200) in energy alone.
  • Cupertino, California. Implemented changes in our computer labs that will save almost 4.6 million kWh/year ($700,000). Changes include adjusting the configuration of rows of computers to align the hot (front) and cold (back) sides, plugging air leaks in the raised floor and managing lighting controls in eight computer labs. We are applying what we learned in these labs to our other computer labs throughout the company.
    
    
• The manufacture of semiconductors requires the use of Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) for cleaning and etching processes.  PFCs are gases used widely in the semiconductor industry for cleaning and etching processes. The global warming potential of PFCs ranges from 6,500 to 23,900 times greater than CO2.
  
  
• In the United States, HP participates in the PFC Reduction Climate Partnership, a voluntary initiative with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce specified PFC emissions by 10% from 1995 levels by the end of 2010. In 2006, HP decreased its PFC emissions by 59% from 2005, to 34% below the 1995 level. Installing additional abatement technology at our manufacturing plants enabled us to meet the 2010 EPA goal in 2006.
  
  
• Data center consolidation is a key aspect of our facilities efficiency drive. Two facilities in Austin, Texas, were recently converted to data centers that comply with the LEED standard although they have not been formally certified. The data centers incorporate the following environmental improvements:
  
  • Decrease building energy use by 21% compared to projected consumption without the improvements
  • Install heating and cooling systems that minimize our impact on ozone depletion and climate change
  • Reduce potable water use for irrigation by 50%
  • Reduce building water use by 20%
  • Use adhesives, paints, carpets and wood with low or no emissions of solvents and other chemicals
  • HP’s Dynamic Smart Cooling Technology. This technology enables real-time changes to air conditioners, fans, vents and even computing, and it is anticipated to reduce our data center energy consumption by 25% to 40%