Samsung’s ‘Planet First’ efforts at IFA 2011

IFA 2011 just ended about a week ago and yes Samsung Electronics unleashed a batch of new innovative smartphones, tablets and laptops, etc. But not only that, the global leader in consumer electronics didn’t forget to show off its latest eco-friendly products and technologies. A whole separate ‘Eco Zone’ was made available to share Samsung’s passion to keep the Earth green.

Eco-Friendly Products

ecobubble™ Washing Machine with energy savings of up to 70%

A new, upgraded series of Samsung’s ecobubble™ washing machines were announced at IFA 2011, and as the name suggests, one of the best things about ecobubble™ is saving energy. ecobubble™ technology predissolves detergent into a powerful yet gentle foam that penetrates fabrics more deeply, quickly and thoroughly so you can do your laundry more efficiently.

Thanks to these bubbles, you get the job done just as well using cold water instead of having to heat the water up to 40°C. Also, a 12kg capacity means you don’t have to do the laundry as often while a built-in sensor calculates how much water, energy and time is needed so you don’t waste your resources. Through these advanced technologies, the ecobubble™ washer delivers the best rated energy use available with an A+++ rating. Pretty impressive when you consider its size capacity!

A+++ rated G-series Refrigerator

Environmentally friendly, also with an A+++ energy efficiency rating, the G-Series Refrigerator uses a Digital Inverter Compressor as its core technology and the new Smart Eco System to optimize its functions. With its seven Smart Sensors, the refrigerator continuously assess temperature and humidity levels to efficiently manage the compressor while still delivering the best cooling results. So, consumers can maintain a desired temperature while minimizing energy consumption. Additionally, the G-Series features a Vacation Mode that lets users keep their refrigerators running efficiently while away from home.

Eco Printers that help you save toner and paper

Eco-printers ML2950D and SCX4701ND that combine low energy consumption with high quality printing performance were also a part of the show. Of course these printers offer high resolutions (up to 1200x1200dpi), fast printing speeds (up to 28ppm in A4) and innovative features such as mobile printing solutions, but they also have a one-touch eco button. This button lets you customize your settings so you can save toner (by removing images, text or small lines) and paper (by enabling double-side print).

NC 215S – the world’s first solar-powered netbook
Also on display was the NC 215S, a laptop computer with a solar panel. The panel is located on the front cover of the laptop which captures energy from the sun and allows the user to recharge the battery automatically without cost. NC215S passed all of the rigorous TOC Energy standards, meeting low levels of energy consumption and noise, as well as a high level of display quality. Apart from its solar panel, the NC 215S is another light, portable and competitive device in Samsung’s wide portfolio of laptops.

Solar-powered and bioplastic-made Mobile Phones

Samsung exhibited eco-friendly phones “Trender(SPH-M380)” and “Reclaim(SPH-M580)”. The outer cases of ‘Reclaim’ and ‘Trender’ are made of 70% and 35% PCM (Post-Consumer Materials, recycled plastic), respectfully, to help save resources. Also, recycled paper is used for the packing material and soy ink completes the environmentally-friendly package! These phones incorporate no hazardous substances such as BFRs or Phthalate.

Both these phones are competent, fully functional Samsung phones with a 2.8” QVGA display and a QWERTY slider. And on top of that, ‘Reclaim’, which is a smartphone that runs on Android, sports a solar charging panel so you can use the sun to recharge your phone.

Samsung also coordinates more than 2000 cellphone recycle centers in 61 countries, running recycling programs which encourage people to send their old cellphones free-of-charge to the center.

Energy-saving LED TV and Blu-ray Player

The Eco Light Sensor on Samsung’s LED TVs adjusts the TVs brightness according to the lighting of the room, contributing the 20% energy saving per year. The LED backlight is mercury-free and the compact design helped reduce the use of material by 15%.

Samsung’s Blu-ray player also uses 41% less energy per year, while the 84% reduction in size (BD-P3600, 62.7 cm2 BD-D7000, 9.8cm2) helped reduce the use of material by 59%. This product is compliant with RoHS(Restriction of Hazardous Substances) regulations and its LED display lighting doesn’t contain any mercury either.

Eco Technologies

Home Energy Management System (HEMS)

Products weren’t the only ones getting the spotlight. Innovative technologies to help save energy were also a part of the show. At the Digital Appliances exhibition, a ‘Home Energy Management System (HEMS)’ that controls appliances to efficiently manage energy consumption was introduced to prepare consumers for Smart Grid.

A Smart Grid applies IT to electrical grids to better communicate within its network of suppliers and consumer so it can predict and intelligently respond to circumstances. For example, shared information regarding the level of demand and the according price can help level out actual use and distribution of electricity. This way, consumers can manage their electrical bills, suppliers can better facilitate their operations and the total environmental impact of the whole electricity supply system can be reduced.

Smart Eco Home

Samsung also showcased its ambitions to establish a carbon neutral house by developing highly energy-efficient products (as described earlier), renewable energy technology (such as solar power and geothermal heat) and networking these through HEMS.

Samsung knows the importance of being green- just search this blog and you will find several articles about the efforts the company is making to put our Earth first. With its environment-friendly policies, innovative products, and renewable energy technologies, Samsung Electronics continues to lead the industry promoting eco-friendly futures, lifestyles, and environments.

 
For more information, check out these links:

Green Samsung – Latest PlanetFirst™ Milestones

Samsung Electronics’ Green Initiatives (infographic)

Sustainability Reports 2011