Scientific research consumes a lot of energy. That’s a fact. From the experimental equipment to the analysis machines, to the need to maintain airflow in a lab, to the general working environment of the lab, a lot of energy is used―especially in academic labs where the research experiment can be performed over long timeframes, sometimes days. This doesn’t include the energy required to create the multitude of chemicals found in a lab. As it stands, research labs are the second largest consumers of energy after data centers.
Academic labs have been pushing for greener solutions and reduced energy consumption over the years. As the impacts of excess energy consumption have become more apparent, alongside the increase in energy costs year on year, the time to act on producing greener labs has never been more urgent.
So, what can be done? Luckily, there are a number of steps, procedures and initiatives that can be followed to reduce the energy usage and carbon footprint of a lab to make it greener, more sustainable and more environmentally friendly. We’re going to take a look at some of the key areas where you can make a difference to our planet by making your lab greener while simultaneously reducing the energy overheads of your lab(s).
Shut the Sash
One of the biggest initiatives in recent years is “shut the sash,” and it is exactly what is says on the tin―shut the sash! Fume hoods, biological safety cabinets (BSCs), and other airflow cabinets, are vital pieces of equipment for any lab, but they are also notorious energy consumers―especially when you factor in the extra exhaust and lab air flow systems required for their use. But there are ways to reduce the amount of energy that they use. When the sash is left open on a fume hood, it can consume as much energy as 3.5 homes. However, once you shut the sash, this energy consumption drops to 2 homes’ worth of energy―so you can reduce the energy consumption of a fume hood by almost half by simply shutting the sash.
Shutting the sash is seen as such an important way of reducing energy that a Shut the Sash contest has been running at Harvard University since 2005. Teams that meet their set goal each month get put into a raffle for a pizza party, and consistent performers are rewarded with other celebrations throughout the year. While the prize may seem trivial, the results are not. Since the competition started at Harvard, there has been a 30% reduction in fume hood exhaust levels, resulting in annual energy savings of over $240,000 and a reduction of over 300 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. These initiatives can easily be repeated at any academic institution.
Beyond shutting the sash, the energy consumption of fume hoods can be further reduced by ensuring that there are no blockages or obstacles in the air flow (and removing them swiftly when they occur), only using them when needed, turning them off after use, turning off the UV lights after sterilization (30 minutes is usually sufficient) and not using them as storage cupboards, and by sharing fume hoods with other researchers in the lab.
Maintaining Equipment
Maintaining your equipment so that it runs optimally is another way of reducing the energy consumption of an academic lab. This can be achieved by routinely servicing the equipment to make sure it is working to the best of its ability. This applies to a lot of equipment in the lab, from ovens and incubators to water baths, microscopes and the different analytical equipment found around the lab―all of which give off heat energy as an operational byproduct that can be reduced by the equipment being more efficient. For example, water baths can consume the same amount of energy as a window air conditioner every hour, so making sure they’re running optimally and only used when required can help to reduce the amount of energy they use.
While it’s important to realize that all electronic equipment gives off waste heat and maximizing their efficiency is a way to reduce the levels of wasted energy, freezers (and other cold storage) are the areas where the biggest energy savings can be made. Ultra-low freezers can consume as much energy as the average household every single day.
However, there are a number of ways that you can reduce the energy levels of cold storage systems. Some of the main ways include keeping your freezers organized, limiting door openings, clearing away any freezer build-up, making sure the freezer is not operating at temperatures lower than needed, and by routinely having a clear out of the freezer to remove any samples that are no longer needed. Beyond these basic steps, freezer racks can be added (and allocated to PIs) to reduce the number of freezers required and optimize space, and a cold storage monitor can be appointed to ensure that regular maintenance and temperature checks take place.
Purchasing Greener Materials and Reagents
Labs contain a lot of chemicals. They also contain a lot of hazardous chemicals, many of which there are now alternatives for. Gone are the days where the most hazardous chemicals would be used in the open lab. While hazardous chemicals can now be contained in fume hoods and airflow cabinets, there are now greener alternatives that are far safer and more benign, which can be used to perform the same reactions and chemical processes typically performed by the harsher chemicals.
Academic labs can move to becoming greener labs by selecting less harmful, more sustainable alternatives to the usual chemicals found in the lab. But being a green lab goes beyond the chemicals in hand, and all researchers should be looking to reduce chemical use where possible and look to remove some of the harmful chemicals that might not often be thought about―such as those found in lab equipment, e.g., light sources that contain mercury.
So, how are greener alternatives found? Well, another initiative known as ACT® ―Accountability, Consistency, and Transparency―has been created to help labs become greener and more sustainable when it comes to their chemical procurement. The initiative includes a new ACT Environmental Impact Factor Label for chemicals to allow them to be categorized and verified by their sustainable impact, operations, and end of life factors.
All of the chemical products are scored on a number of different categories―such as energy consumption, water consumption, and whether they were created using renewable energy (to name a few)―with lower numbers representing a lower environmental impact. As it stands, there are fewer than 100 chemical products that have been independently verified, but there is a drive for more to join the ranks, allowing academics more choice when it comes to choosing lower impact and greener chemicals.
Reducing Waste and Conserving Resources
Labs are known for producing a lot of waste―especially academic labs where more fundamental research takes place, leading to a greater degree of failed experiments, a greater number of end products, and a higher amount of hazardous waste. There is the potential for recycling, reusing, and reducing the number of reagents and equipment used in a lab―from nitrile gloves, to electrical equipment, to consumables (if washed/sterilized properly). While this doesn’t necessarily contribute directly to energy savings in the lab, it reduces the overall energy impact (and cost) that the lab has, because fewer things need to be bought and many products can have renewed life via recycling rather than being landfilled.
Beyond reducing the amount of waste produced, simultaneously conserving the resources that are used can help to improve the overall energy efficiency of the lab. This can have a more direct impact on the energy usage of the lab through the sharing of electronic equipment and freezer space with other researchers, recycling solvents, learning how to operate autoclaves efficiently, and substituting some of the autoclave needs to a dishwasher where it’s appropriate (and not hazardous) to do so. All of these offer a way to conserve and share resources while reducing the overall energy consumption of the lab.
The Basics
While we can talk about the many different things that are specific to labs, there are also everyday basic energy-saving behaviors that can improve the energy efficiency of a lab. Simple ways of reducing energy consumption include turning off electrical items when they’re not being used and/or no one is in the lab, as well as at the end of the day. Other simple energy saving examples include only loading dishwashers and sterilizers when they’re full and sharing workspace to save on cost and waste. Where possible, it’s also useful to switch off any ancillary equipment―such as extraction fans, pumps, and computers―when they are not needed.
Lighting is another big energy consumption area. While lighting is required to ensure a high level of safety, comfort, and performance in a laboratory, turning off the lights when no one is in the lab can help to reduce the energy costs. Lighting actually accounts for around 15% of a lab’s total energy cost, so switching to more energy efficient LED lighting and turning off any task lighting, lighting in unoccupied rooms, and all lighting at the end of the day are easy ways to reduce the electrical consumption of a lab.
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