Active DataComm is committed to making environmentally friendly products, services, and advice available to our customers - not only to reduce operating costs, but also to reduce energy consumption, carbon footprint, and net effect on our environment. We are proud to have partnered with companies and organizations that share this commitment, to help our customers make the most of their investments, while offering environmentally responsible options.

In a field like information technology, with so many buzzwords, it can already be difficult to sort through your options on your own; mix in a hot topic like environmentalism, and making informed choices can be overwhelming. Active DataComm can cut through the hype, to find green solutions to fit your needs and your budget.

We are happy to provide information about some of the most important designations and concepts below; if you have any questions, please contact us.

Energy Star

Energy Star is an international standard for energy efficient consumer products, first created as a United States government program in 1992. Since its inception, many other nations have also adopted the program. Devices carrying the Energy Star logo, such as computer products and peripherals, kitchen appliances, and other products, typically offer energy savings of 20% to 30%.

There are different thresholds and requirements for different devices and types of devices, in order to qualify as Energy Star compliant. For example, computers must have power supplies that are 80% efficient to qualify and carry the logo. In contrast, there are many requirements that must be met by lighting devices, such as CFL or LED lighting, to qualify, and room air conditioners must be 10% more efficient than current US minimum standards.

Energy Star began as a voluntary program, with labels for computer products that met the required standards. In 1995 the program was significantly expanded, introducing labels for residential heating and cooling systems and new homes, and by 2006, more than 40,000 Energy Star products were available. These products cover a wide range of items including major appliances, office equipment, lighting, home electronics, and even new homes and commercial buildings. In the same year, 2006, the EPA estimated that the program had saved approximately $14 billion in energy costs.

Active DataComm® has a very wide variety of Energy Star compliant products; we can supply energy-efficient solutions for virtually any application.

RoHS

The Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, commonly referred to as the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) was adopted in February 2003 by the European Union. The RoHS directive took effect on 1 July 2006, and is required to be enforced and become law in each member state. This directive restricts the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment. It is closely linked with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) which sets collection, recycling and recovery targets for electrical goods and is part of a legislative initiative to solve the problem of huge amounts of toxic e-waste.

In the United States, California has passed SB 20: Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003, or EWRA. This law prohibits the sale of electronic devices after January 1, 2007, that are prohibited from being sold under the EU RoHS directive, but across a much narrower scope that includes LCDs, CRTs, and the like and only covers the four heavy metals restricted by RoHS. EWRA also has a restricted material disclosure requirement. Other US states and cities are debating whether to adopt similar laws, and there are several states that have mercury and PBDE bans already.

ROHS has an effect on virtually every product, as it is considerably more cost-effective for companies to manufacture products that meet the requirements of their strictest intended market, rather than making multiple versions of each product for areas with different regulations. IBM and HP, for example have already both begun conforming to standards even more restritive than ROHS.

Active DataComm® stocks many PCs, components, and other products that are RoHS compliant.

Vampire Power

Standby power, also called vampire power, phantom load, or leaking electricity, refers to the electric power consumed by electronic appliances while they are off or in a standby mode. A very common "electricity vampire" is a power adapter which has no power-off switch. Some devices offer remote controls and digital clock features to the user, while other devices, such as power adapters for laptop computers and other electronic devices, consume power without offering any features.

The wasted standby power of household electronic devices is typically very small, but the sum of all such devices within the household or office becomes significant. Standby power makes up a portion of steadily rising miscellaneous electric load, which also includes small appliances, security systems, and other small power draws.

Standby power is typically 10 to 15 watts per device, and occasionally more. A 2005 study estimated the number of standby appliances in the EU at 3.7 billion. Although the power needed for functions like displays, indicators, and remote control functions is relatively small, the fact that the devices are continuously plugged in, along with the number of such devices in the average household or office, means that the energy usage can reach up to 22 percent of all appliance consumption, and around 10 percent of total consumption.

Active DataComm® can help you analyze and address your wasted standby power through a variety of strategies and products.