green broadcasting feature

own in-house environmental goals, whilst continuing to deliver the high standards of quality that viewers have come to expect. To help meet this dual objective, manufacturers should focus on developing technology that provides increased power and functionality, yet in a smaller footprint using less energy.

Tangible examples can be found in combined approaches to product architecture. The Harris Platinum routers have an internal mux/demux capability that saves up to 200RU of rack space, and allow for the integration of audio multiplexers, fibre optic inputs/outputs, multiviewers and many other standard

infrastructure functions. This reduces the size of the installation, lowers power consumption and installation costs and truly reduces carbon footprint in comparison to running all these elements separately. Signal processing is another area where energy efficiency can be maximised. The Harris X50 synchroniser/converter, for example, allows broadcasters to turn off unused outputs in line with the varying demands they face for baseband video and audio processing throughout the broadcast workflow. Solid-state servers consume less energy and generate less heat than spinning disk drives, with the Harris NEXIO AMP SSD (solid-state disk) server, for example, beating its nearest equivalent by 30% energy savings. And at less than 7 inches deep, the Videotek Compact Monitor range of test and measurement devices offers less than 20W power consumption and pure convection cooling that allows 100% quiet operation in sensitive areas. These are just a few examples of how high- performance, real-world broadcast solutions can be developed with the overall green agenda in mind.

Radiating coolness

Facilities are the backbone of any manufacturer’s green strategy. That is why Harris is designing its newest facility on an eco-friendly blue-print. In 2010, the Harris European headquarters in Winnersh, United Kingdom, will move to one of the brand-new buildings located in the Winnersh Triangle sustainable development. This move is aimed at making use of renewable energy technology to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of Harris in the area. The development, which was

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launched by real estate investment trust SEGRO in 2007, is being designed as one of the most sustainable speculative office schemes in the Thames Valley. The technologies in use include high-performance glass and external brise soleil to minimise solar heat gain; efficient air

conditioning with emissions up to 25% below standard; and a £1.6 million borehole scheme, which will provide sustainable groundwater for heating and cooling. Earning a BREEAM ‘very good’ rating, the new buildings will not only save approximately 50% carbon against national standard building regulations, but will also provide over 50% improvement on target CO2 emission rates.

Elsewhere across the world, Harris has a number of sustainable programmes in place that are generating concrete results, such as a nationwide programme for electronic equipment recycling, which successfully diverted 267 tons from landfill disposal in one year. The close- loop cooling water system at the Harris manufacturing facility in Quincy, Illinois, allows the re-use of non- contact cooling water for RF dissipation during transmitter testing. The facility received numerous environmental awards: the Illinois Governor’s Award for Continuous Improvement in Environmental Sustainability was awarded to Harris five years in a row, and the company’s recycling and waste volume efforts, along with its water pollution control efforts, were also officially recognised.

Virtual reality

Maintaining the customer connection whilst reducing carbon footprint can be tricky. It usually involves a reduction in face-to-face interaction, which is replaced by a mix of

The key for a manufacturer is to make green initiatives part of a central

sustainability plan

designed to truly change processes from the inside out.

In 2010, the Harris European

headquarters in Winnersh, United Kingdom, will move to one of the brand-new

buildings located in the Winnersh Triangle sustainable

development. This move is aimed at making use of renewable energy technology to significantly reduce the carbon

footprint of Harris in the area.

traditional phone conversations, email and the use of various types of conferencing tools. Going one step further in a bid to preserve some part of the physical interaction whilst reducing air-mile consumption, Harris took the creative route of pioneering a virtual face-to-face meeting platform in the broadcast industry: the three-dimensional Harris Virtual World, which was launched in 2009. The Harris Virtual World is built on a customised version of the Immersive Workspaces solution developed by 3D web and virtual world specialist company Rivers Run Red. Hosted on a real-time virtual environment built on the Second Life Grid platform, the project was brought to life by UK-based specialist consulting firm Futuresource. Avatars (virtual representations) of Harris employees and customers can meet and interact on the Harris Island, attend meetings and stroll through a three-dimensional version of the Harris workflow. The response from visitors has been extremely positive, with users stating that the meetings in the virtual world feel more real and more engaging than anything they have experienced through more traditional conferencing methods. There are a thousand ways of being green, and each action counts - no matter how small. The key for manufacturers is to make green initiatives part of a central sustainability plan designed to truly change processes from the inside out. But this is only one side of the coin: the complete success of this endeavour also depends on the broadcasters who must find ways of controlling the environmental impact of the programmes they create. This way, we all play a decisive role in building a more environmentally sustainable broadcast industry. Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48