Energy-efficient printing at Adelaide legal practice

Wallmans Lawyers is an Adelaide legal practice with particular expertise in commercial law. It was initially looking to reduce its printing costs as the current fleet was becoming expensive and the older devices were unable to take recycled or special paper stocks.

The culmination of frustration around high printing costs, increasing maintenance and service calls, an inflexible leasing agreement and ongoing consumable costs, including paper and toners, ultimately led to Wallmans approaching Konica Minolta to help assess its print environment.

The first recommendation made was to rationalise the printing fleet from seven outdated printers that were becoming less reliable and costly to run to six energy-efficient Bizhub C654s devices. This enabled Wallmans to immediately start benefiting from energy savings. The Bizhub C654 features the Eco Timer that automatically senses peak and off-peak times, switching into ‘sleep mode’ and waking up when someone approaches the device. Simple eco features can have a profound effect on energy usage.

There were also other technology recommendations that impressed Wallmans Lawyers. Konica Minolta devices have fewer curves throughout the paper output cycle, which means they are less likely to jam. Furthermore, the company’s toner technology adheres to a wide range of paper stocks, which means Wallmans can now use recycled paper stocks that are a lot more cost-efficient.

Since upgrading and consolidating the printer fleet, Wallmans has not only benefited from cost reductions but has also realised other advantages. Rationalising the printing fleet from seven to six devices has saved the firm 1000 kWh per annum alone, which has shaved $250 off its annual power bill and will save 0.8 tonnes of carbon emissions per annum.

Wallmans has since adopted many smart printing practices and implemented an environmental change management policy across the organisation. All printing devices have been set to double-sided B&W printing and the practice proactively recycles the devices’ printer cartridges through the Cartridges 4 Planet Ark program.

The smart printing practices are complemented with other environmental initiatives such as automatic lights that switch off at 6 pm, implementing extensive recycling of paper, glass and e-waste and adopting a digital archiving system. The practice now also seeks out suppliers who are committed to environmentally friendly practices and has taken a leadership positioning by hosting energy-efficient events in the building. The company currently has a 4.5 star energy-efficiency rating but the goal is to be awarded a 5 star rating within the next 12 months.

In November 2013, Wallmans won the CitySwitch ‘New Signatory of the Year’ national award for its efforts in upgrading infrastructure and effecting positive behavioural change. In addition, it encouraged other business to improve their environmental footprint and adopt energy-efficient practices. Wallmans believes the upgrade of its printer fleet played an important role in winning the award.