Schools and environmental impact

Since the Industrial Revolution, human polluting activity has caused 1.0°C of global warming and an increase to 1.5°C is expected between 2030 and 2052 if emissions continue to increase at the current rate. Despite the UK government’s Net Zero commitments and the Department for Education’s vision to be “the world-leading education sector in sustainability and climate change by 2030” only 38% of the responding organizations had so far committed to Net Zero as a target.

IT’s environmental impact

Scientists and governments agree on the need to re-evaluate all aspects of human activity that cause pollution, education included. Low-carbon alternatives must be implemented if energy efficiency improvements are to grow by 4% annually; three times their current rate. EUC devices are responsible for 34% of IT-related pollution across the UK, with up to 80% of general pollution caused by their daily use. This creates 3m tonnes of CO2e equivalent to 650,000 cars driving on UK roads annually.

Green digital transformation

Many are the signs that the IT industry is beginning to respond to environmental concerns pushing organizations and institution towards a greener digital transformation. To achieve this in a world influenced by the effects of climate change, Acer supports the education sector levelling up within a context of sustainability, giving all children, young people and adults the technological tools to thrive in a green economy and to help restore nature.

Start your green journey, with Acer

As part of their wider sustainability strategy, Acer have designed the complete Vero range with eco-friendly PCR plastics, prioritizing ease of repair and optimum efficiency thanks to the inclusion of the custom eco mode. The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 and Chromebook Spin 311 allow for exceptionally low energy consumption; up to nearly 70% per annum when compared to a typical Windows device estate, as validated by the PX3 independent benchmarking.

Institutions can also benefit from the Acer Green Rewards programme for the sustainable, secure and affordable support of eco-friendly technological transformation. IT users are encouraged to register for instant valuations of their legacy devices, which can be sent to Acer for re-use. Green rewards may then be exchanged for new Acer devices, boosting energy efficiency by up to 84%.

Conclusions

Educational institutions have an important environmental impact that could be improved by implementing a green digital transformation with the support of Acer and not only its products, but also programs. Acer commissioned independent specialists PX3 to carry out benchmarking of devices to accurately quantify their use phase energy consumption. This data, available in technical reports and white papers, provides with accurate information for CSR / ESG reporting as well as playing an important role in carbon reduction plans and “Net Zero” initiatives.

Switch to the Acer Chromebook Spin 311 to reduce emissions by 70% compared to a typical Windows device

As part of its sustainability strategy, not only is Acer investing in recycled materials, less packaging and re-usable components, but the company also commissioned PX3 – an IT consulting company specializing in sustainable technology – to conduct benchmarking of devices in order to thoroughly quantify their energy consumption, including the Chromebook Spin 311.

Main features

This notebook, sealed Acer’s leadership in the Chromebook market after new upgrades to the device were introduced. Weighing only 1kg, combining 15 hours battery-life, ease of use, tough security and energy efficiency, this is the best low-cost, yet versatile solution designed for users who like to be on the go all day. In addition, Acer Chromebook’s Chrome OS enables efficient energy use, optimized device performance and digital well-being in the classroom and beyond.

Cutting energy costs and related emissions by 70%

PX3’s scientific exercise on this device, measured its energy consumption while it was used extensively for ‘real-world’ productivity tasks. The result showed that the Spin 311 is a category-leading energy performance device, consuming as little as 0.019 kWh per working day. As such, using a Chromebook 311 would reduce power usage and related emissions from an average mixed environment of desktops and laptops by around 70%.

What is more, if compared with a typical legacy estate of Windows desktop PCs, energy and emission savings achieve up to 84%. PX3’s research director affirmed that ‘Organizations seeking to adopt sustainable IT strategies are enabled to achieve abatement goals, reduce electricity consumption and accurately substantiate success by transitioning to the Acer 311 Spin Chromebook’. Hence, Acer has demonstrated once again, its forward-thinking and commitment to investing in devices that balance lower-energy use with the demands for performance and battery life.

Paperless classes

Acer Chromebook and Google Workspace for Education give the classroom environmentally friendly options and flexibility. Apps such as Google Classroom and Google Meet keep parents informed electronically while reducing emissions caused by traveling to conferences and face-to-face meetings. Moreover, Google Docs, Forms, Slides and Sheets improve efficiency while reducing paper used for tests, textbooks and communications.

Conclusions

Educational institutions can deploy Acer Chromebook Spin 311 to benefit from its multiple form factors that adapt to any learning environment – remotely, on the go or in person. This is a game-changer when it comes to eco-friendly technology for your classroom.

 

Would you like to read more? Download now the full research report ‘Sustainable IT in education – issues, trends & attitudes among decision makers’ on the Acer gated website: https://emea-greenrewards.acer.com/education_sustainability