Energy Conservation

Energy Conservation at Sun
Common sense and flexibility are standard operating procedures for Sun's energy conservation efforts. Starting in 1995, the company initiated a sensible, easy-to-implement plan to optimize energy consumption.

In 1996, the company became a partner in the Energy Star Buildings Program, a voluntary partnership between commercial energy users and the US Environmental Protection Agency. The plan is implemented through incremental changes that are already resulting in real energy savings, including:

1. Time clocks and photo cells control outside lighting
2. Energy saving devices such as programmable thermostats regulate heating and air-conditioning systems, and new or retrofitted LED-based exit signs save electricity.
3. Adjustable motion sensors to optimize indoor lighting control and turn off office lighting when the office is unoccupied.
4. Sun's desktop workstations (of which the company uses many thousands internally) utilize Energy Star Power Management™ software that allows the computer to power down and go to a lower energy-consuming state when idle.
   
5. Deployment of Sun's new SunRay technology that replaces conventional desktop computers. To read more about his interesting and environmentally friendly product line click here.
6. Devices installed at Sun's campuses that work with an occupancy sensor in each office to turn off electrical equipment plugged into some outlets.
7. Switching to ultra-low energy flourescent lamps in offices.
   
8. In 2004, the company's Burlington, Mass campus completed several energy efficiency initiatives that earned the company nearly $500,000 in rebates from the local utility company in addition to reducing Sun's operating costs. The installation and operation of the upgraded equipment and systems will reduce the campus' energy consumption by well over one million kilowatt hours (kWh) per year.