Lenovo laptops achieve EPEAT gold certification for energy efficiency
The Lenovo T400 is the first Wake issued laptop with an LED backlight.
The new ThinkPad T400 laptop computers issued to incoming freshmen and juniors this year meet the highest standard of environmentally sound design according to the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT). EPEAT, a not-for-profit, environmental procurement tool is designed to help purchases evaluate, compare, and select computers and monitors based on their environmental attributes. Products are ranked on 51 criteria in eight categories ranging from material selection to end-of-life management.
There are currently 29 Lenovo Notebook computer models on the market in the U.S. that meet EPEAT certification standards. All of these meet at least silver standard and more than half qualify for the gold standard.
By receiving the gold standard for many of its products, Lenovo demonstrated a commitment to environmental design above and beyond the 23 mandatory criteria. The ThinkPad T400 meets 22 of the 27 optional criteria for certification, excelling in the reduction and elimination of environmentally sensitive materials such as intentionally added cadmium, mercury, and lead. Even the batteries in the notebooks do not contain these poisonous chemicals. In addition, at least 90 percent of components from the T400s can be reused or recycled into new computers. This feature and more contributed to a full compliance with all of the optional criteria for end of life design.
The T400 series is the first ThinkPad issued at the university to feature an LED backlight. Laptop displays constitute a significant portion of the energy consumption of a notebook computer. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are far more energy efficient than the fluorescent tubes that have been used in all past Wake issued laptops, including the T61, according to Rick Matthews, Associate Provost of Information Systems. Not only does this save energy when the computer is plugged into a power outlet, but it greatly improves the battery life of the T400 model.
Looking for ways you can increase the energy efficiency and battery life of your ThinkPad? The notebooks automatically enter sleep mode if not used for several minutes in order to preserve battery life, but they still use some energy in this mode. If you are looking to extend your battery life even father, shut the computer down if it will not be used for several hours. You can also try lowering your screen’s brightness and turning off your wireless card to save energy when you are plugged into the school network.