Smart Labs Accelerator - Completed

Providing supply and exhaust air to laboratory fume hoods is highly energy intensive, yet many researchers forget to shut the sash after use. To address the confusion, a lab manager at the University of California designed a bold vinyl sticker to attach on the exterior sidewall of a fume hood that uses the ubiquitous traffic light color scheme. The low-cost project led to energy savings and safety benefits.

This fact sheet highlights the results of the Smart Labs Accelerator, links to relevant partner case studies, and provides a summary of overall savings.

This document describes how to implement a fume hood sash management campaign.

This presentation addresses laboratory ventilation flow rates. 

This guide describes procedures to operate ULT freezers efficiently and to improve sample access.

UC Irvine's integrated “Smart Lab” program improves lab energy efficiency through an array of control and sensor technologies; labs using this program can achieve energy savings of up to 60%.

Participants in this meet-up reviewed the current draft of the Smart Labs Program roadmap and the current roadmap for Smart Labs partners.

Ventilation is a critical component to providing a safe and productive laboratory environment. It is also one of the primary consumers of energy in most laboratory buildings. This session provided information and examples of a systematic, risk-based, demand-driven approach to managing ventilation systems.

This document provides highlights from Better Buildings Alliance members that have optimized minimum ACR to reduce energy use while maintaining or improving safety – especially cases where the ACR has been reduced below 6 ACH1.

This report summarizes the results of a DOE Better Buildings Alliance field demonstration to show the energy savings possible with high-efficiency equipment.

The South Campus of the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) is one of four campuses located throughout Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Upgrades to this large energy user saw an energy savings of 37% and a cost savings of $184,000.

University of Utah performed HVAC and fume hood mechanical upgrades, combined with new sensor and control technologies to deliver an expected 44% energy savings and $456,000 in cost savings.

Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation houses classroom, office, studio, lab, and mechanical workshop space for UC Berkeley’s College of Engineering. The building is designed to exceed corporate energy targets by using 90% less energy than the national median for university buildings.

Alleghany College renovated its Richard J. Cook Center for Environmental Science as part of the College's greater efforts to pursue building efficiency and institutional sustainability across campus. Building upgrades including LED lighting, CO₂ monitoring and other improvements are expected to deliver 16% in annual energy savings.

As part of a comprehensive energy reduction initiative, the Luna I Mishoe Science Center – South was selected for a spectrum of upgrades expected to reduce energy use in the building by 35% annually, with annual cost savings estimated at $68,000.

Kentucky Community and Technical College System's energy efficiency upgrades to its Bluegrass Community and Technical College include the installation of high efficiency chillers, T-8 lights, and fans have helped them reach 49% annual energy savings.

UC Irvine's Smart Labs Initiative has worked to make already energy-efficient buildings even more efficient, and utilizes a process that works on existing labs and new construction. Participating laboratories have seen 51% annual energy savings.

The University of Utah's 52,000-square foot Dumke Health Professions Education Building underwent comprehensive improvements to its HVAC system, with new high efficiency boilers and a DDC system installed. The project realized 41% annual energy savings and $57,000 annual cost savings.

3M achieved a 12% reduction in energy usage, saving $400,000 annually, after converting the lab space ventilation system to variable air volume at one of its main laboratory buildings at 3M Center—the company’s corporate headquarters and primary research and development site in Maplewood, MN.

The HPAC is home to Chesapeake College’s flagship health programs in nursing, radiologic science, emergency medical services, physical therapy, and surgical technology. A solar installation and LED and HVAC upgrades saved this facility 51% in energy use.

This energy only specification provides a description of required performance characteristics resulting in increased energy savings for ULTs in laboratories.

Review of UC Irvine's Smart Labs program, illustrating upgrades made to the Natural Sciences II facility.