Fujitsu Siemens Unveils Its Own Green IT Label
Asserting that existing labeling programs are not broad enough -- and aiming to help businesses make more environmentally friendly computer purchases -- the company has begun rating its products on materials used, recyclability and energy consumption.
Add another green label to the pile: In addition to EPEAT, Energy Star, Blue Angel, Nordic Swan and others, Fujitsu Siemens has launched its own "Green IT" label.
The company announced the new label yesterday, asserting that existing labeling programs are not broad enough, and that business and individual computer buyers need as much guidance as possible to make green purchases.
The label, which will appear on Fujitsu Siemens products manufactured in November 2008 and later, ranks hardware on three main categories, and awards up to three stars based on performance.
Each product is ranked on the materials used in construction, the ease of recycling, and its energy efficiency. In the materials category, Fujitsu Siemens looks at whether products are made halogen-free, and without brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), as well as use of recycled materials and biobased plastics.
To earn points in the recycling category, the products must be disassemblable by a single person, using commonly available tools. Spare parts should also be available and easy to install even five years after that model has ceased to be produced by the company.
For power consumption, all products carrying the seal must be at least 80 percent power efficient in their internal power supplies, and external power supplies must be at least 84 percent efficient. Products earning the highest level of certification must be 87 to 90 percent efficient in the internal power supplies, depending on load levels, and to earn those three stars must have a 90 percent efficient external power supply.
The power consumption category also specifies points for power used during standby mode and zero-load operations: the external power supply must draw less than .5 watts of energy at zero-load operation less than 1 watt in standby or off modes.
Beyond the machines themselves, the company's Green IT label also specifies that manuals and packaging must be made from the greenest materials possible: in order to achieve even the one-star ranking, manuals must be printed on chlorine-free bleached paper, and manuals and packaging made of postconsumer, recycled materials earn higher points.
Fujitsu Siemens has already stamped the label on 33 products, 10 of which have earned one star, 16 of which have earned two stars, and seven of which have earned the highest, three-star label. As of the launch, several of the company's notebook and desktop lines are labeled, as well as its Celsius workstations and Futuro thin clients. Next to fall under the certification program are the company's servers and data storage products.
Full details and specs about the Green IT label are online at fujitsu-siemens.com/greenlabel. Full coverage of Fujitsu's recent green initiatives, including its ranking on Greenpeace's electronics scorecard, is online at GreenerComputing.com.
The company announced the new label yesterday, asserting that existing labeling programs are not broad enough, and that business and individual computer buyers need as much guidance as possible to make green purchases.
The label, which will appear on Fujitsu Siemens products manufactured in November 2008 and later, ranks hardware on three main categories, and awards up to three stars based on performance.
Each product is ranked on the materials used in construction, the ease of recycling, and its energy efficiency. In the materials category, Fujitsu Siemens looks at whether products are made halogen-free, and without brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), as well as use of recycled materials and biobased plastics.
To earn points in the recycling category, the products must be disassemblable by a single person, using commonly available tools. Spare parts should also be available and easy to install even five years after that model has ceased to be produced by the company.
For power consumption, all products carrying the seal must be at least 80 percent power efficient in their internal power supplies, and external power supplies must be at least 84 percent efficient. Products earning the highest level of certification must be 87 to 90 percent efficient in the internal power supplies, depending on load levels, and to earn those three stars must have a 90 percent efficient external power supply.
The power consumption category also specifies points for power used during standby mode and zero-load operations: the external power supply must draw less than .5 watts of energy at zero-load operation less than 1 watt in standby or off modes.
Beyond the machines themselves, the company's Green IT label also specifies that manuals and packaging must be made from the greenest materials possible: in order to achieve even the one-star ranking, manuals must be printed on chlorine-free bleached paper, and manuals and packaging made of postconsumer, recycled materials earn higher points.
Fujitsu Siemens has already stamped the label on 33 products, 10 of which have earned one star, 16 of which have earned two stars, and seven of which have earned the highest, three-star label. As of the launch, several of the company's notebook and desktop lines are labeled, as well as its Celsius workstations and Futuro thin clients. Next to fall under the certification program are the company's servers and data storage products.
Full details and specs about the Green IT label are online at fujitsu-siemens.com/greenlabel. Full coverage of Fujitsu's recent green initiatives, including its ranking on Greenpeace's electronics scorecard, is online at GreenerComputing.com.
