Rachel Novick, Ph.D.Office of Sustainability

University of Notre Damegreen.nd.edu

Sustainable Scientists: Integrating Lab Users into

Sustainable Laboratory Solutions

Campus laboratories use ~4 times more electricity than comparably sized office buildings.

Average Dorm

Main Build-ing

Grace DeBartolo Hall

Nieuwland Stepan Jordan Fitzpatrick Galvin0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000Electricity Use (kwh/year)

Resources

Laboratories for the 21st Century (Department of Energy)

http://www.labs21century.gov

University of California Santa Barbara LabRATS program

http://sustainability.ucsb.edu/LARS/

Harvard University Green Labs program

http://green.harvard.edu/fas/labs

Hypotheses

1. A significant percentage of the electrical load in laboratory buildings is under the control of researchers.

2. Researchers can be motivated to change their behavior to reduce electrical loads.

Test Case: 6 Biology Labs & 12 Chemistry Labs

4 Step Program Structure

1. Informational meeting and walk-through Time commitment for lab representative: ~30 minutes

2. Approval of recommended metering and preventative maintenance Time commitment for PI & lab representative: ~30 minutes

3. Metering and preventative maintenance Time commitment for lab representative: 1-3 hours, can be split

up over multiple days

4. Summary and recommendations for the future Time commitment for lab PI & staff: ~30 minutes

Strategy for Achieving Acceptance

• Validation by Deans and Chairs of the College of Science

• Presentation at departmental faculty meetings – opportunity for Q&A

• Invitation to participate comes from department chairs

• Safety training

• Stress potential benefits to lab:• Free labor• Free thermometer exchange• Extended equipment life• Rebate offers for equipment upgrades

The Walk-Through

Major Topics Covered

• Number of researchers• Occupancy hours• Safety hazards• Lights• Thermostats• Mercury thermometers• Number & size of fume hoods• Fume hood practices• Computer sleep settings• Printer defaults• Single stream recycling• Battery and toner cartridge recycling• Equipment maintenance• Freezer defrost schedule• Equipment sharing

Appliance Data

Information Collected for all Major Appliances

• Brand & Model• Temperature Setting• Percent Utilization• Frequency of Use• Cleaning or defrosting needed• Appliance placement

Data collected so far include:

• 32 Ovens• 16 Refrigerators• 25 Freezers• 10 -80 ultra low freezers• 22 Refrigerator freezer combos• 3 Cold Rooms

Metering

Average Wattage by Appliance Type

Autocla

ve (1

)

Chilled

Centrif

uge

(1)

Centrif

uge (

1)

Fridg

e/Free

zer (7

)

Ovens

(20)

Freeze

rs (11

)

Refrige

rators

(8)

Incub

ator (6

)0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Opportunit ies: Ovens

Fishe

r Isote

mp 655

F

Fishe

r Isote

mp 500

Precis

ion 65

22

Blue Ov18

A

Fishe

r Isote

mp 500

Them

o Prec

ision 6

530

Fishe

r Isote

mp M63

7G

Them

olyne

OV3502

5

Fishe

r 255

G

Fishe

r Isote

mp M63

7G

Fishe

r Isote

mp

Fishe

r Isote

mp M63

7G

Sarge

nt S6

3995

Fishe

r Isote

mp

Fishe

r

Fishe

r 255

G

Blue St

abil-T

herm

Precis

ion Th

elco 1

5

Precis

ion Th

elco 1

80

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

Avg. watts

Opportunit ies: Ovens

Average Wattage by Appliance Type

Autocla

ve (1

)

Chilled

Centrif

uge

(1)

Centrif

uge (

1)

Cold ro

om (2

)

Fridg

e/Free

zer (7

)

Ovens

(20)

Freeze

rs (11

)

Refrige

rators

(8)

Incub

ator (6

)0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

Opportunit ies: Fume Hoods

Opportunit ies: Fume Hoods

What We’ve Learned

• Conservation opportunities for fume hood behavior can be on the order of 10,000 pounds CO2e annually per lab.

• The 20 ovens we metered so far use the equivalent electricity of 5 average U.S. homes.

• Shared equipment such as cold rooms often fall through the cracks.

• Researchers are willing to be engaged in an energy audit program – getting them to change their behavior is a lot harder.

What’s Next

• Demo of efficient oven to be offered as a replacement

• Mercury thermometer exchange

• Formalization of lab reps

• More lab audits