Sustainable Scientists: Integrating Lab Users into Sustainable Laboratory Solutions

1. Sustainable Scientists: Integrating Lab Users into Sustainable Laboratory Solutions Rachel Novick, Ph.D.Office of Sustainability University of Notre Dame green.nd.edu

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

3. 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

4. Hypotheses A significant percentage of the electrical load in laboratory buildings is under the control of researchers. Researchers can be motivated to change their behavior to reduce electrical loads. Test Case: 6 Biology Labs & 12 Chemistry Labs

5. 4 Step Program Structure • Informational meeting and walk-through • Time commitment for lab representative: ~30 minutes • Approval of recommended metering and preventative maintenance • Time commitment for PI & lab representative: ~30 minutes • Metering and preventative maintenance • Time commitment for lab representative: 1-3 hours, can be split up over multiple days • Summary and recommendations for the future • Time commitment for lab PI & staff: ~30 minutes

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. Metering

10. Average Wattage by Appliance Type

11. Opportunities: Ovens Avg. watts

12. Opportunities: Ovens

13. Average Wattage by Appliance Type

14. Opportunities: Fume Hoods

15. Opportunities: Fume Hoods

16. 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.

17. What’s Next • Demo of efficient oven to be offered as a replacement • Mercury thermometer exchange • Formalization of lab reps • More lab audits