Soon, notebooks will have Star Rating

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Green IT or energy efficiency are no longer corporate buzz words. The green sensibility is slowly making inroads into different fields of technology.

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) recently conducted a meeting at its West Block-2 Office, New Delhi under the chairmanship of Dr Sandeep Garg, energy economist of BEE, to discuss the introduction of Star Ratings to notebooks. Among those participated include representatives from IT industry body, MAIT and channel associations — TAIT and PCAIT — as well representatives from the vendors that include HCL, Wipro and HP.

Agree to initiate labeling program for notebooks

The bureau and the hardware ecosystem together agreed to initiate labeling program for notebooks initially on a voluntary basis, till it is made compulsory in the next two years of roll out. It will be mandatory for all vendors to provide Energy Star Label henceforth.

BEE will also run an intensive customer education program on Star Rating, including its importance, and is expected to advise the Directorate General of Supplies & Disposals (DGS&D) on all government purchases on notebook computers to have Star Rating specified, while tablets and smartphones are currently out of the purview of this program.

Speaking to the CIOL, Ashwini Aggarwal, executive director, MAIT said, the organization is announcing labeling program, and have an agreement with the channel associations like TAIT and PCAIT.

“This is an exclusive initiative for notebooks, and we don't want to rush things as of now, but this program will cover other hardware products on a later stage,” said Aggarwal.

An industry initiative

He added that it is an industry initiative and all the major vendors that include HP, Dell, HCL, Chirag and Canon have agreed to it.

“We are initially staring with the registration process for the manufacturers and will cover all the aspects. A final decision on time frame will be taken by the ministry,” informed Aggarwal.

Rothin Bhattacharyya, executive vice president, HCL Infosystems said that they are ready with their product line which can satisfy the BEE-Star criteria.

“The BEE initiative is warmly welcomed by environmentally-responsible companies like HCL Infosystems as it will enable a level-playing field in the industry. Also, given BEE’s thrust on educating the consumer on energy efficiency, we hope to reach out beyond the corporate and government customers and connecting with individual consumers,” he said.

Mahesh Bhalla, GM — Consumer and SMB at Dell India said that, the labeling program is a step in the right direction to ensure the availability of energy-efficient products to consumers.

“Consumers will benefit due to the presence of a neutral and fair body that measures energy-efficiency of products. Majority of Dell’s products are already compliant to the US Energy Star 5.0 rating system, which automatically makes it compliant with the BEE standards and labeling program,” he said.

Dell will be announcing its program readiness shortly. Bhalla said that DGS&D is a major technology purchaser and has laid down best practices that are followed by other government departments and agencies.