Credit Language
OP 12: Electronics Purchasing – version 2.2
Frequently Asked Questions
How has this credit changed between STARS 2.1 to 2.2?
Substantive changes have been made to this credit. Additional multi-attribute and single-attribute ecolabels are now recognized, and there is added guidance under Measurement. A definition of ISO Type 1 ecolabel has been added. A comprehensive list of differences can be found in the 2.2 Summary of changes.
How will recent changes to EPEAT impact our score?
The Computer and Displays EPEAT category criteria were updated in 2019, addressing a greater breadth of sustainability impacts, expanding EPEAT’s coverage of social impacts, and going further into the supply chain. This change resulted in a decrease in the number of products available at the different EPEAT tier levels. Institutions may now notice that a larger portion of their purchases from the Computers and Displays category fall within the Bronze and Silver EPEAT levels than before. With the updating of the criteria, even if your purchases are now mostly Bronze and Silver level products, the updated criteria mean that products at lower-tier levels provide even greater sustainability gains than products from the old category.
Need help with EPEAT reporting?
The Green Electronics Council, the non-profit organization that manages the EPEAT ecolabel, offers a free aggregation of your organization’s spend reports to determine which products you have purchased are EPEAT-registered. Contact [email protected] for assistance with your EPEAT reporting.
Resources, Templates & Tools
Example Responses
- Central Michigan University – Includes a comprehensive purchasing report with dates of the assessment and details on electronic purchases.
- Keene State College – Good example of using the Notes field to clarify score outliers.
- National University of Ireland, Galway – Comprehensive documentation supports exemplary performance (100% EPEAT Gold purchasing).
Common Issues Identified During Review
- Score outlier: Earning full points or close to it indicates that a very high rate of electronic purchases are EPEAT Gold. High scores and exemplary performance should be affirmed in descriptive text.
- Timeframe: Response under “A brief description of the time period” should confirm that the information provided is based on data from within the last three years.