14 July 2009

Digital TVs – easy to use and energy efficient?

What do you look for when buying a new TV or digital box – a cheap purchase price or ease of use? Sust-it, the energy efficiency site for electricals, thinks running costs should be top of everyone’s shopping list in these belt-tightening times. Sust-it shows how, choosing the most energy efficient electricals, could save over £500 per year off your bills, and now they’ve teamed up with Ricability (Research Institute for Consumer Affairs) to provide the low-down on ease of use and viewing performance of digital TVs, recorders and set top boxes.

Sust-it ranks over 4,000 household electrical goods, from TV’s to tumble dryers, by their running costs and CO2 emissions, issues that are important to consumers, as the growing number of visitors to the site demonstrates. Ricability provides impartial and independent reviews of digital TV products; to help shoppers decide what to buy. Their digital TV test programme has been funded by the Government to help consumers through switchover.

Ross from sust-it said: “There’s a staggering difference between the energy consumption of electricals in the marketplace – which we’ve been highlighting through our unique ranking system. It’s great news that Ricability sees the value publishing their unbiased reviews on our site – hopefully the real winners will be consumers and the environment during the digital TV switch!

Caroline from Ricability said: “Our digital TV testing is based on research with real users and we are independent of manufacturers and retailers, so free to report our findings without fear or favour. We’ve recognised that sust-its energy saving site is reaching a wide audience and we look forward to providing the best possible unbiased information usability of digital TV products and help them reduce their energy bills too.

About RICABILITY

Ricability – the Research Institute for Consumer Affairs – is a national research charity founded by Which? more than 40 years ago.

We provide strictly independent consumer research and information. This is usually for disabled and older people, but because the digital switchover touches everyone, we’re assessing digital products for all consumers.

Our digital TV testing is commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). And carried out in partnership with Intertek, one of Europe’s leading testing centres.

About SUST-IT

sust-it’s energy consumption website ranks electricals by their energy efficiency and CO2 emissions. The site is constantly updated and contains a wide range of products from TVs to chest freezers. You can switch between electricity tariffs and calculate your CO2 emissions at the same time. The electricity unit rates used to calculate the costs per hour/cycle/year are based on the BIS (Department for Business Innovation & Skills) Quarterly Energy Prices. CO2 Calculations are taken from National Energy Foundation. 

The sust-it website has been conceived and developed by turnround new media an independent production company, after it’s proprietor Ross Lammas (47), became increasingly frustrated by the difficulty in finding the data on the energy consumption of products, whilst he was building an environmentally sustainable office and home.  The site is independent from any manufacturers, retailers or energy companies. And does not receive any funding from any Government agencies, trusts or independent charities.