INDIANAPOLIS, United States — There are now three times as many Energy Star qualified RCA audio and video products on the market over last year, with plans for more, the company announced last week.

The new RCA bookshelf audio systems, DVD players and home theater audio systems now consume less than one watt of power while in standby mode.

"We know that consumers are looking for energy-efficient products that work well," Dan Collishaw, CEO of Thomson's Audio/Video business, said in a statement. "According to the Department of Energy, 40 percent of electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off."

Concern for cutting energy consumption while electronics are in standby mode also is prompting tighter Energy Star requirements for computers, which take effect July 20.

For instance, notebook computers must use less than one watt of power or less in standby mode to earn the Energy Star 4.0 designation. Desktop systems must consume two watts of energy or less.

Energy Star qualified products, homes, buildings and services typically are between 10 percent and 90 percent more energy efficient than the conventional counterparts.

RCA audio and video models earning the Energy Star mark include a $119 bookshelf audio system that is 96 percent more energy efficient than the previous model, and a $49 DVD player that saves 50 percent more energy than the previous model.

Thomson also announced last week its "Smart Packing" RCA Audio/Video initiative will help save more than 450 tons of plastic during the next two years. The initiative already has saved 81 tons of extra plastic, according to its website.

The initiative involves replacing older clamshell packaging with smaller, environmentally-friendly paper gift box containers. The new packages, the company, also are easier to open.

Earlier this year, the company announced it was developing an energy efficient digital television adapter. Called the DTA800, the adapter receives terrestrially broadcast digital TC signals and converts them for use on a conventional analog TV, the company said in March.