The increasing adoption of additive manufacturing across industries highlights its benefits in material efficiency and design flexibility, yet its environmental impact remains a critical area of study as technology advances. This research investigates the relationship between power, time, energy consumption, and surface quality in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), a common additive manufacturing technique. A ubiquitous desktop printer representative of a commonly used 3D printing methodology in small-scale workshops was utilized to conduct the study. Using polylactic acid (PLA) as the printing material, we conducted experiments with triangular prism samples of varying base angles while maintaining a constant design volume to isolate the effects of Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) and surface roughness. Empirical results indicate a non-linear relationship between SEC, surface roughness, and print angulation, with higher print angles correlating with increased energy consumption and surface roughness. These findings suggest that print orientation plays a significant role in the environmental efficiency and surface quality outcomes of FDM processes. For manufacturers and designers, this study offers practical insights into optimizing energy usage without compromising quality. By better understanding the interplay of SEC and surface roughness, additive manufacturing processes can be adjusted to enhance sustainability. Future research could focus on developing predictive software tools that aid in minimizing energy consumption and optimizing quality in additive manufacturing, promoting more sustainable practices across the industry.