Lenovo Offers Portfolio of PCs That Meet Energy Star 5.0 Specification
More than 25 Think- and Idea-branded PCs meet the standard, along with lineup of ThinkVision monitors, offering solution providers more green options for clients.
Lenovo has announced that more than 25 of its Think-branded business and Idea-branded consumer PCs meet the new Energy Star Version 5.0 Specification for Computers, which goes into effect on July 1, 2009. PCs from the Research Triangle Park-based company that have been 5.0 certified include the ThinkPad X301, T400s, and W700ds; the IdeaPad U330 and Y430 laptops; and select ThinkCentre M58, M58p, and M58e Eco desktops.
Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, provides a system to rate the energy efficiency of various products. Lenovo’s Energy Star 5.0-certified PCs adhere to various standards, including power management and on-mode power consumption requirements. For example, a ThinkCentre M58 small form factor desktop coupled with a ThinkVision L1940p Wide monitor use only an estimated 377 kilowatts per year–based on calculation methodology from Energy Star 5.0 and Lenovo measured energy values for Energy Star 5.0-defined energy usage states–compared with a baseline PC and CRT monitor at 635 KWH.
A lineup of Lenovo ThinkVision monitors from 17 to 24 inches also meet the Energy Star 5.0 criteria, nine months before the separate specification for monitors takes effect in October. These monitors use a special reflective polarizer technology to help reuse much of the light that would be lost in a standard LCD monitor, thus achieving adequate brightness while using less energy.
“Green design factors into each step in engineering our PCs, starting with recycled materials to delivering higher levels of energy efficiency to giving customers options for recycling at the end of life,” says Fran O’Sullivan, senior vice president, Think Product Group, Lenovo. “Improving the energy efficiency of Lenovo PCs helps customers not only reduce their carbon footprint but also save money throughout the life of their PC.”
Lenovo says it is committed to providing customers greener options throughout the lifecycle of their PCs, starting with using recycled content. In 2008, for example, Lenovo used more than 2.2 million pounds of post-consumer recycled plastics in its PCs–contributing to more than 60 Lenovo products being rated Gold by the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool.
To supplement this effort, Lenovo is using up to 100 percent recycled cushioning materials in select ThinkPad laptop, ThinkCentre desktop, and ThinkVision monitor packaging. The company is also transitioning the IdeaPad S10e netbook packaging to a smaller, reduced-dye box to help minimize waste.
The Lenovo Eco Take Back Program, another green initiative, enables consumers to recycle any Lenovo or IBM product for free and receive money back on any brand of PC that has residual value. For business customers, Lenovo offers Asset Recovery Services to provide computer take-back, data destruction, refurbishment, and recycling.
