Pace goes green with LEI set top boxes

Pace has launched a new green initiative involving a low environmental impact (LEI) standard for pay TV set-top boxes.

The Yorkshire-based firm's LEI production drive will focus on three main areas: power consumption, packaging and hazardous substances.

From now, all hardware design of Pace boxes will comply with or exceed the EU Code of Conduct, EnergyStar and MEPS guidelines for effective power consumption targets. Over the past three years, Pace has also reduced the power consumption of its high definition PVRs by 70% and designed a receiver with less than 1 watt stand-by complex.

The company will also use 100% recyclable material for all its packaging, along with adhering to a self-imposed 50% target for packaging derived from recycled materials.

Beyond sticking within existing legislation for hazardous materials, Pace will also use its own restricted substances list to phase out environmentally damaging materials from future products.

Pace president Richard Slee stated his hope that the LEI standard and other green projects would help the company become a "world-leader" in environmental peformance.

"We believe our products are amongst the most energy efficient consumer electronics products in the world," said Slee.

"We recognise how growing global demand for the products we create, which increasingly include more advanced and power hungry applications, requires a responsible environmental balance."

"Pace has consistently gone beyond the standards, always meeting legislative targets in advance of industry deadlines, giving our customers complete confidence that their products are not just at the leading edge of digital TV technology, but also leading in environmental performance."

Pace chief operating officer and 'environmental tsar' David McKinney added: "The environment is part of our DNA. We have led the development of energy efficient products and standards for our market, while at the same time taking action to reduce our environmental impact across all aspects of our business, from our buildings to our operations and supply chain.

"We have already completed the first phase of a complete supply chain review, which will enable us to work with our supply partners to improve the entire environmental footprint of our set top box products. This is a track record and future plan we can be proud of."

Last month, Pace also revealed its aim to become a British world leader in consumer electronics after surging digital TV demand helped it to post strong financial results for the year up to June 30.