New Mac Pro Uses 68% Less Energy, 74% Less Aluminum Than Previous Generation

Apple today released an Environmental Report [PDF] on its newly introduced Mac Pro, detailing the greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency, and material efficiency of the company’s professional workstation.

According to the report, the Mac Pro uses power-efficient components that utilize less than half the allowable energy limit of the ENERGY STAR requirements for computers. It also uses 68 percent less power in idle mode than the previous generation Mac Pro, released in 2010.

Because one of the largest portions of product-related greenhouse gas emissions results from actual use, energy efficiency is a key part of each product’s design. Apple products use power-efficient components and software that can intelligently power them down during periods of inactivity. The result is that Mac Pro is energy efficient right out of the box.

Apple states that the Mac Pro's "ultracompact product and packaging designs" are at the forefront of the industry in terms of material efficiency and that its component makeup contains large amounts of aluminum and copper, which are desired by recyclers. The Mac Pro contains 3660 grams of aluminum and steel, 715 grams of copper, and 270 grams of plastics and uses 74 percent less aluminum than the previous Mac Pro.


Mac Pro packaging has also become more efficient, with current retail packaging using 82 percent less volume than packaging for the previous generation Mac Pro, which also allows for three times more units to fit in a single airline shipping container.

Finally, Apple clarifies that all of its products, including the Mac Pro, comply with and exceed the European Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment, avoiding hazardous substances like brominated flame retardants and offering PVC-free internal cables and a PVC-free AC power cord in most regions.

Apple maintains detailed reports on its environmental responsibility, producing progress reports on its environmental impact each year. Recently, the company hired former EPA chief Lisa Jackson to head its environmental and sustainability efforts and it has also made efforts to create data centers that use 100 percent renewable energy.

The Mac Pro is the first Mac in many years to be manufactured in the United States, providing more than 2,000 jobs across 20 states. The computer is produced in Austin, Texas, in partnership with Flextronics.