by Jbs101208 b3 — October 17, 2008—A revised specification for Energy Star-qualified imaging equipment becomes effective July 1, 2009, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Imaging products—printers, copiers, scanners, fax machines, and all-in-one devices—that earn the Energy Star will be 14 percent more efficient than current qualified models. If all imaging products sold in the US met the new specification, consumers would save nearly $500 million a year in energy costs and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 500 million cars, claims EPA. There are reportedly more than 200 million imaging equipment units in US buildings today. Together, these units consume 40 billion kWh each year, accounting for two percent of US building sector electricity consumption.
Energy Star was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the Energy Star label can be found on more than 50 different kinds of products, new homes, schools, and commercial buildings.
