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PISCATAWAY, N.J., Mar 30, 2006 -- BUSINESS WIRE
Assessing the environmental impact of computer systems before they are bought has long been a challenge for those who purchase computer equipment for companies, government agencies and other organizations. A new IEEE standard, which was initiated by and developed with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will help resolve this issue. IEEE 1680 is the first U.S. standard to supply environmental guidelines for institutional purchasing decisions involving desktop and laptop computers and monitors. It offers criteria in eight categories - materials selection, environmentally sensitive materials, design for end of life, end-of-life management, energy conservation, product longevity and life-cycle extension, packaging, and corporate performance. "This comprehensive standard responds to a strong call from purchasing agents who want consistent environmental criteria for comparing and selecting computers and monitors," says Holly Elwood, chair of the IEEE 1680 Working Group and Project Manager for the U.S. EPA's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program. "The standard provides for a registry of products that comply with IEEE 1680, so purchasers can find computer products that meet their IT needs and have less of an effect on the environment." "IEEE 1680 will foster green product design by setting challenging, yet realistic criteria for environmental performance," says Larry Chalfan, co-chair of the IEEE 1680 Working Group and Executive Director of the Zero Waste Alliance. "It creates mechanisms for identifying and verifying that computer products meet these criteria without delaying time to market. It also rewards leading product designs by giving manufacturers a low-cost way to promote product environmental performance." IEEE 1680 and its product registration and verification system are part of the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), which is managed by the Green Electronics Council under a grant from the U.S. EPA. The council will maintain a registry of computer products that meet IEEE 1680 criteria at www.epeat.net starting in June 2006. For further information on EPEAT see www.greenelectronicscouncil.org. IEEE 1680 was sponsored by the IEEE Computer Society. About the IEEE Standards Association The IEEE Standards Association, a globally recognized standards-setting body, develops consensus standards through an open process that brings diverse parts of an industry together. These standards set specifications and procedures based on current scientific consensus. The IEEE-SA has a portfolio of more than 870 completed standards and more than 400 standards in development. For information on IEEE-SA see: http://standards.ieee.org/. About the IEEE he IEEE has more than 375,000 members in approximately 150 countries. Through its members, the organization is a leading authority on areas ranging from aerospace, computers and telecommunications to biomedicine, electric power and consumer electronics. The IEEE produces nearly 30 percent of the world's literature in the electrical and electronics engineering, computing and control technology fields. This nonprofit organization also sponsors or cosponsors more than 300 technical conferences each year. Additional information about the IEEE can be found at http://www.ieee.org. SOURCE: IEEE News Provided By |
