An apparatus stores, based on results of sample-programs executed at operating frequencies, program-property information that includes innermost-loop-property information and other-loops-property information, and a minimum operating frequency indicating an operating frequency, of the operating frequencies, at which energy consumption upon execution of each of the sample-programs is the minimum; obtains first program-property information that is the program-property information corresponding to a first program before execution of the first program that is a program other than the sample-programs; and specifies second program-property information, of the program-property information stored in a memory, that includes information most similar to information included in the first program-property information obtained and estimating a first operating frequency at which the energy consumption upon execution of the first program is the minimum to be an operating frequency, of the minimum operating frequencies stored in the memory, that corresponds to the second program-property information specified.