This page provides acquisition guidance for displays and monitors. Federal laws and requirements mandate that agencies purchase ENERGY STAR®-certified products or Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)-designated products for all covered product categories except as specifically exempted by law.
FEMP's acquisition guidance and ENERGY STAR efficiency requirements for displays and monitors apply to computer monitors and signage displays. Other display and monitor products are excluded, including but not limited to products with an integrated television tuner and products covered by other ENERGY STAR specifications.
This acquisition guidance was updated in December 2024.
How To Find Product Efficiency Requirements
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides display efficiency levels and product specification information on its ENERGY STAR website. Manufacturers meeting these requirements are allowed to display the ENERGY STAR label on complying models.
Displays must also meet FEMP low standby power requirements. Standby power is the electricity consumed by a product when in the lowest energy consuming mode, which typically occurs when the product is switched off or not performing its primary function. For displays, buyers can assume all ENERGY STAR-certified products meet FEMP’s Low Standby Power limit of 1 W.
Did you know?
Screen savers do not save energy. To save energy, enable your monitor's power management feature and turn the display completely off at night.
How To Determine Cost Effectiveness
An efficient product is cost effective when the lifetime energy savings exceed the up-front cost premium (if any) compared to a less efficient option. You can find more information about determining life cycle cost effectiveness on our general guidance page.
See Table 1 below for an example comparing the life cycle cost savings of a base model (less efficient than the ENERGY STAR required efficiency), a model meeting the ENERGY STAR efficiency and a model with the highest available efficiency.
Example: 27” 1080p LCD Monitor
FEMP has calculated that an ENERGY STAR-certified 27” monitor meeting the required energy consumption limit of 52 kWh saves money if priced no more than $16 (in 2023 dollars) above the less efficient model with an annual energy use of 72 kWh. The best available model shown below is cost effective if it costs no more than $16 above the less efficient model (or $9 above the required model).
Table 1. Lifetime Savings for Efficient Monitor Models
| MODEL EFFICIENCY LEVEL | BEST AVAILABLE | ENERGY STAR | LESS EFFICIENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Energy Use (kWh) | 29 | 52 | 72 |
| Annual Energy Cost | $3 | $6 | $8 |
| Lifetime Energy Cost | $11 | $20 | $27 |
| Lifetime Energy Cost Savings | $16 | $7 | ====== |
Energy Use and Cost Assumptions
Annual Energy Use: Based on reported values from the ENERGY STAR Qualified Products List (QPL) as of December 2024 and other market data collected by ENERGY STAR. All values were for a 27-inch monitor with 2.1 megapixel, or 1080p, resolution (the most common screen size and resolution in the ENERGY STAR database).
Annual Energy Cost: Calculated based on an energy price of 11¢/kWh, which is the average electricity price at federal facilities in the United States as of July 2024. Learn more about Federal Government Energy/Water Use and Emissions data.
Lifetime Energy Cost: Calculated assuming a product life of 4 years, in alignment with ENERGY STAR savings calculations. Used future electricity price trends and a 3% discount rate from Energy Price Indices and Discount Factors for Life-Cycle Cost Analysis – 2024: Annual Supplement to NIST Handbook 135 and NBS Special Publication 709 (NISTIR 85-3273-39).
Lifetime Energy Cost Savings: The difference between the lifetime energy cost of the identified models.
Model Efficiency Level
Best Available: Based on the model with the lowest energy consumption in the ENERGY STAR Qualified Products List as of December 2024. More efficient models may have entered the market after FEMP's acquisition guidance was created.
ENERGY STAR: Based on ENERGY STAR required energy consumption as of December 2024. Federal agencies must purchase products that meet or exceed ENERGY STAR efficiency levels.
Less Efficient: Based on the model with the highest energy consumption from market data collected by ENERGY STAR. Note energy savings will vary depending on actual usage.
Where To Buy Compliant Products
Buyers can make sure the product they purchase will be compliant by incorporating federal acquisition regulation language into contracts. Compliant products can also be found using federal supply sources and product codes. See our general guidance page for more details on buying compliant energy-using products.
Display Product Codes
The Defense Logistics Agency Environmental Attribute Code (ENAC) identifies items with energy characteristics that meet standards set by an approved third party, such as FEMP and ENERGY STAR. Purchasers can also use a United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC) to identify and buy products and to track purchases.
The DLA ENAC for displays is "LG".
The UNSPSCs for displays and monitors are shown in Table 2.
Table 2. Product codes for Displays and Monitors
| DISPLAY TYPE | UNSPSC |
|---|---|
| Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Panels or Monitors | 43211902 |
| Plasma Display Panels (PDP) | 43211904 |
| Visual Information Display Device | 45111812 |
Other Tips for Choosing and Using the Best Product Efficiently
Tips for Selecting the Best Displays and Monitors
Apart from energy efficiency, see ENERGY STAR’s buying guidance for other important operating and convenience features to consider when selecting a monitor.
Some utilities offer rebates or other incentives for the purchase of ENERGY STAR-certified products. Use the ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder to see if your local utility offers these incentives.
Tips for Using Displays and Monitors More Efficiently
Manufacturers ship ENERGY STAR-certified products with power management features enabled. Make sure that power management features are not disabled by the installer and are compatible with computers and operating systems in use. The highest energy savings are available when the display consistently operates in the lowest appropriate power mode.
Despite a common belief, screen savers do not save energy. In fact, more often than not, a screen saver will not only draw power, but will also keep any associated computer processors from shutting down. Enabling a display's power management features and turning it off at night not only reduces energy use at the product level, but may also save cooling energy that is otherwise required to remove waste heat generated from the product.
Some displays (e.g., those used to program network servers) are actually in use for only a few hours per year. Leaving these displays off except when needed is a very cost-effective strategy and will not shorten the operating life of the display.