When the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) upgraded its desktop PC estate as part of an ongoing deal with supplier EDS in 2005, cost savings rather than environmental concerns was the prime motivation.

As part of the contract, EDS has replaced 140,000 laptops and desktops with more energy-efficient models, a total reduction of 25,000 computers, In addition, 2,500 servers have been consolidated into just 40, and six datacentres reduced to two.

“The major spend was to rationalise lots of different project and infrastructure contracts that would give the department the ability to take cost out of the IT budget and reduce infrastructure complexity to make support easier,” says Frank Tudor, DWP director of supplier relationship and performance management.

The DWP has measured power consumption in terms of the old PCs versus the new systems, and estimated it is saving about 40,000 megawatt hours per year, though Tudor says it is tricky to get accurate results.

“It is difficult to measure, because not only are there 300 people and 300 PCs in one building, for example, but that building also has lighting, heating and monitoring systems all using electricity,” he says.

Besides using low-power desktop and laptop PCs manufactured using WEEE-compliant materials, the DWP has donated 75,000 legacy systems to charitable organisations, including Microsoft’s Digital Pipeline, the Prince’s Trust and Computers for Older People.

“From the DWP’s perspective and the corporate responsibility agenda, it made a lot of sense to redeploy those computers into second lives,” says Tudor.

The DWP is also experimenting with Nightwatchman, a software tool that forces PCs to shut themselves down at a set time every evening, rather than go on standby. “We will be testing it at 9.30pm for the next few months, then once the technology is proved we will change that to 7.30pm,” says Tudor.

He also intends to replace 25,000 printers with multi-function alternatives that combine the roles of printers, copiers and fax machines into a single device. He believes the total can be consolidated to between 8,000 and 10,000 devices.

The DWP is due another desktop refresh in about two years, by which time Tudor expects green IT concerns to take greater precedence.

“We will be looking for more energy-efficient PCs using low-power processors, and we may consider using thin clients to support role-based computing.”

Changing staff behaviour is high on Tudor’s agenda, and the DWP already runs awareness sessions ­ – though not formalised training courses ­ – where new recruits get departmental briefing sessions that encourage them to adopt environmental policies.