Green Large-Venue Projectors
Unlike the building community, which has LEED, or the consumer appliance market, with Energy Star, AV pros don’t yet have a comparable green seal of approval for their least power-hungry systems. Energy Star, for instance, doesn’t account for the extended operation and brightness required of many large-venue projectors. But that doesn’t mean integrators who are into sustainability can’t choose a greener model.
Unlike the building community, which has leed, or the consumer appliance market, with Energy Star, AV pros don’t yet have a comparable green seal of approval for their least power-hungry systems. Energy Star, for instance, doesn’t account for the extended operation and brightness required of many large-venue projectors. But that doesn’t mean integrators who are into sustainability can’t choose a greener model. Projector manufacturers have taken it upon themselves to comply with things like Europe’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), and guidelines set by the International Electrotechnical Commission. But mostly, greening a projector comes down to lowering energy consumption, using recycled or recyclable materials, and reducing cost of ownership. Many manufacturers begin with the lamp to reduce both toxic gases and consumption. LED light engines are ideal, as long as they’re bright enough. . There also are other sources, including metal halide lamps.
By some estimates, a chassis made of aluminum is at least 95 percent recyclable–bonus points if the chassis is made from recycled aluminum. Then there is the task of greening the production process. “In Japan, they have a rating system called EcoLeaf that measures all kinds of parameters,” says Chris Chinnock, president of Insight Media. From the impact of transporting the product to the energy it took to mine the titanium for a case, EcoLeaf measures a company’s entire carbon footprint. “Reducing and understanding where your costs and energy usage are coming from helps streamline your supply chain,” says Chinnock. “And it saves you money.”
View Green Large Venue Projectors from:
Barco
Christie
Digital Projection International
Hitachi
NEC Display Solutions
Sharp Electronics
Note: Information based on survey of manufacturers in September 2009. Inclusion does not represent an endorsement of a product as green by PRO AV editors.
