Case study of low-cost energy reductions in shared research laboratories at a U.S. public university

Scientific sample storage and assay development require vast energy; decreasing the laboratory's footprint addresses urgent climate needs and efficient use of indirect funds. However, external sustainability certifications require financing and administrative buy-in. We describe our near zero-cost effort to improve energy efficiency within a U.S. public university system.

We collected forty-four plug-load estimates of individual machines (e.g., cold-boxes, incubators, hot-plates) using commercially available 120V energy monitors. Measurements occurred for an average of 135 minutes. Larger device data (biosafety cabinets and autoclave) were interpolated from the literature, while ultralow temperature freezer values were estimated based on a combination of measured, and previously reported, consumption estimates. Estimated savings from fourteen discrete interventions are cataloged.

Our group's year-long adjustments, particularly estimates from turning up ultralow temperature freezers and powering down biosafety cabinets and an autoclave after hours, resulted in savings similar to powering 9 homes. Our estimate of these savings exceeds 83,000 kWh or ~$10,000. Extrapolation of scenario estimates to campus-wide savings from the freezer intervention suggest University savings of more than 2 years' of indirect funding costs for an R01 equivalent grant, while annual energy savings for the 430 campus-wide labs may exceed $4 million.