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Projected images – you see them everywhere – in both public and professional settings for advertising, information to large audiences as well as home cinema for entertainment or replacing the TV. Projector users demand high image quality and top performance. With this in mind, TCO Development is in the process of finalizing a TCO Certified projectors standard – the first in the world to combine performance and environmental factors for this rapidly growing product group.
An important part of thee standards development process is to talk to product users. So
we asked purchasers and end users what they demanded from a projector. Their main answers were good picture quality and low noise. Then we asked how they decided what projector to buy. The most popular answers were high contrast and luminance values. We were surprised that almost no-one we surveyed knew about the importance of matching projector choice to the intended operating environment – lighting conditions, noise levels, viewing distance from the image etc. There was also very little knowledge about the actual energy consumption of a projector, for example in comparison to a big screen TV.
To get a better understanding of what to demand from a projector, TCO Development tested some projectors for light output, contrast, noise level and energy consumption, and found that the test results and values declared in the product information didn’t correspond. The declared values were often approx 30% higher than the test results on light output and contrast.
Therefore, TCO Development decided that there is a need for a label that makes is easy to choose projectors designed for both usability and environment and that accurately reports the performance of the product. The TCO environmental impact criteria set limitations on hazardous substances and energy consumption as well as requirements for recycling. The usability criteria aim to give the user high image quality and low noise. Today image quality is related to light output measured in ANSI lumen and contrast ratio. Most users have difficulties in relating image quality to these abstract values but they know which picture size they want to have a high picture quality with. TCO Development has developed a requirement aiming to provide a good picture on a maximum projected screen size, the TCO Image Size.
We believe that the TCO certification for projectors will be a useful tool for users to choose a projector that meets their performance needs and environmental goals.
Posted by Annika Overodder
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As product manager for displays at TCO Development I’m always being asked “What kind of computer monitor should I buy?” With so much choice on the market, it can be daunting making the right choice for your needs and application. As we launched the new TCO Certified program last week, I thought it could be good to outline how it can be useful when selecting a new display for your computer.
Let’s look at the scenario when it is time to buy a new LCD display.
Imagine yourself walking into a shop to choose the best product for your needs. How do you make your choice? Well, based on your budget you have a certain range of products to choose between, and once faced with those choices it can be overwhelming to distinguish between product specifications, labels and technical features. For many users, the decision therefore comes down to the design and appearance of the product.
Some consumers take this one step further and compare the specifications and weigh them against the price tag. They may also evaluate the picture quality visually by comparing different products next to each other with the same picture content.
Before going to the point of sale this group of consumers has checked the internet or magazines for information on the products they are interested in. They may have read comments from other users experience or professional reviews and test results. In this way they know the pros and cons other users have experienced and can weigh that against the price tag.
I would say that the final valuable step is looking for the TCO Certified label on the front or back of the product. This is the ultimate step in ensuring a good purchase. If you only look at the design and appearance of the product at the point of sale you will not be sure how it will perform in your work environment. The display is often tweaked to show very high luminance at the point of sale which may not at all be the setting you want to use at home as it often decreases the image quality. The design may be appealing in a controlled ambient light in the shop but may be disturbing in a home environment.
Even for the users who take the purchase process one step further and compare the specifications given by the manufacturers can not be sure of what they’re getting. Often this is data that the manufacturers have declared themselves and it may not even have been tested or verified. Even if it is tested there is no guarantee that the testing conditions represents the real use of the product and that the data is comparable between different brands of products. A certification system like TCO Certified ensures that all products are tested in the same way.
The user who takes even another step and base their decision on user comments and tests made in magazines and internet sites are better but still not enough. Users tend to not have an objective point of view when they judge performance on products. Users may have had a good or bad experience with previous products of the same brand or maybe have spent a lot of money on the product they are commenting which may affect the way they write their review. Even tests at computer magazines are often made at low cost laboratories where instrumentation and measurement methods are not calibrated and controlled. Results on visual quality parameters can have an enormous variation depending on the quality of the measurement instrumentation and the test engineer. I would say that uncertainties of 50% are not strange for a low cost laboratory when measuring certain visual parameters. This makes the results and comparison between different products less reliable. TCO Certified products are tested at quality controlled laboratories to avoid this uncertainty.
The final step to look for the TCO Certified at the marking label at the back of the product is the only way to be really sure the performance is tested and approved. TCO certified products have been tested for a wide range of performance parameters which are relevant to the way the product is going to be used. The test methods represent the real use of the products and the requirements are often the strictest in the world. All testing has been made at an impartial test laboratory which is further inspected every year by another impartial agency that can shut down the testing business immediately if they notice any lack of quality in the results.
Next blog post I will discuss the performance of displays and the impact it has on the work task or entertainment value you get.
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Is China the new Green IT powerhouse ? This might sound strange, but it’s a message we’re hearing more and more – that Europe and in particular the Nordic countries, which have for many years led the field in energy efficiency, Green IT and action against climate change, are now losing that advantage. China and USA are now increasingly talked about as the new leaders in environmental innovation .
While Europe has long been regarded as the pioneer in environmental legislation and adaption, several Asian nations are now showing faster and more powerful ambitions in their transition towards becoming a low carbon society! And with the new administration in the USA we hope to see a new example of how powerful the American giant can be once it´s awake.
When it comes to Green IT my personal reflection is that it would be very positive if China, a hub of computer and display design and manufacture, will take the lead and drive environmental design to the next level! A computer designed for minimal climate impact will then benefit computer users all over the world and lead to a more sustainable IT usage.
TCO Development has, since almost 5 years, representation in the Chinese region, with our office in Taiwan. Since most of our customers to TCO Certified today are Asian companies we have been able to follow the development in the region and seen the shift from the western world towards China when it comes to design and manufacturing of ICT hardware.
One example of how TCO Certified is presented in China is the upcoming conference in Shanghai 7-8 May, “Green Product and Business Forum”. My colleague Martin Söderberg will talk about Green IT and how TCO labelled products are part of the development towards a Green IT society, http://www.ecovane.cn. Look for Martin’s blog post about the event.
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This past Earth Day, I reflected on how green is rapidly becoming an essential for many brands in the US. For so long, the US has lagged behind particularly Europe in being a community of environmentally savvy consumers and businesses. Now the tide has rapidly turned, with over 60% of US consumers wanting their most familiar brands and products to be more “Green” – from cleaning products to carpet, energy and electronics – green is the new key message that we can’t be without. It’s interesting to see that brands which have previously been all about convenience are now very much about the environmental message. It’s like the old logic of “Once the Americans get behind something, they really put all their energies into it” With thousands of Earth Day events across the country, Americans are now putting environmental concerns at the top of their priority list.
I spent Earth Day working the Texas Medical Center’s inaugural Earth Day event . Thousands of hospital employees turned out to learn more about ways to make their workplaces and homes more environmentally sound. It was impressive to see so many people genuinely engaged in real change and pledging to make a difference.
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Reflections from Sustainability Day in Stockholm, April 23rd:
Yesterday’s big green event here in Stockholm was the Sustainability Day: a one day conference about CSR held by the environment magazine Miljöaktuellt and The Swedish Association of Environmental Managers (NMC).
This was the fifth time the Sustainability day was organized. The big question for the conference this year was if companies could afford to prioritize a sustainable work considering the changing co
nditions due to the financial crisis.
Thomas Nauclér from McKinsey
The most interesting part of the Sustainability Day was the two sessions held by
Klas Eklund, Senior Economist at SEB (Bank and financial company), and Thomas Nauclér from McKinsey. They talked about the financial aspects for companies who contribute to less CO2 emissions.
One conclusion is that many companies will not voluntarily do anything to stop the global warming unless they can make money from their green efforts.
However, there are many low cost ways that companies can contribute to a significant reduction of the global warming and at the same time save money.
By using their equipment in a more energy efficient way companies can reduce their CO2 emissions by 50% without any investment and at the same time get lower cost for energy!
As the cost for energy will continue to rise working with energy efficiency will become more rewarding from a financial perspective.
From a branding perspective, companies can gain a lot by showing their market that they are actively working for true a contribution on reducing the global warming.
These two aspects are also part of TCO Certified: All products with the TCO label have very low energy consumption. The TCO Certified label also gives the signal to the market that the companies that offer TCO Certified products are working actively for sustainability.
TCO Development exhibited at the Sustainability Day
Posted by Birgitta Halvarsson
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On my way to work yesterday to mark the launch of the new TCO Certified program, I grabbed a copy of the publication Metro – a free newspaper found around the world in major urban centers. Being Earth Day, the cover consisted of a giant globe and the heading “37 million Metro readers can save the world !”. Per Mikael Jensen, President of Metro International wrote “We believe that you- our readers –want to make the world a greener place – from Santiago to New York, Prague and Stockholm. Join us. Go Green with Metro !”
TCO Certified lights up Times Square !
I reflected on the Metro article and realized the similarity with the mission of TCO Development – just replace “readers” with “IT users”. As consumers and users of technology, we really can make a difference by choosing products that have proven environmental performance. This is where programs such as TCO Certified come in. For over 20 years, TCO Development has been at the forefront of environmental and user-centered design for computer equipment. About 50% of the world’s computer display models carry a TCO label. This has led to he prevention of approx 50 000 metric tonnes of hazardous flame retardant materials entering the wastestream, which would otherwise pose a risk to the natural environment and human health. Annual energy savings amount to 25 terawatt hours – the equivalent of the yearly production of four nuclear power generators.
READ MORE HERE ”Your computer and the climate”
It was a step in the right direction for Green IT when we had the honor of presenting the first TCO Certified certificates today. Our congratulations to Eizo, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo and Wortmann / Terra for achieving the first new TCO Certified designations for displays. When leading brands like these make a concious choice to develop products based on the principles of environment and usability, they are going beyond green, which is of significant benefit to us – the users and the planet.
Now it’s onto Sustainability Day here in Stockholm – looking forward to meeting more people wanting to make a difference.
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Here at TCO Development we’re excited to launch our blog about usability and environmental factors for electronics, on the same day we launch our new look certification program – TCO Certified! Displays from great brands like HP, Eizo, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Samsung and Wortmann / Terra are the first to be awarded the brand new TCO Certification designation for displays ! TCO Certified goes beyond green, by combining environmental AND performance factors in a single label.
GreenITedge.com will feature regular news and views from the world of Green IT, usability, ergonomics and other topics about new IT products and how we use them. Some of our planned features include new product reviews, advice on choosing the best performing IT products that are also green as well as regular commentary from our global team of bloggers in Asia, Europe and North America.
We want you to join the conversation here at GreenITedge.com. A major reason why IT brands are developing more environmentally responsible technologies is because consumers and buyers ask for them! At the same time you demand high performance for all your IT applications. So Go Beyond Green and join the community at GreenITedge.com
For more on the launch of TCO Certified, click here to go to our media room.
http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/tcodevelopment/37925/
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