Power-intensive equipment such as fridges and freezers significantly impact energy conservation in labs. The Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) helps combat this challenge, says Richard Jafrato, who highlights how strategic selection can help improve sustainability.
Laboratories house an array of energyintensive instruments – from fume hoods to refrigerators – that require a constant supply of power, contributing to their carbon footprints. Fume hoods alone can consume three times the amount of energy as an average household in a year [1]. This heightened energy demand puts the spotlight on laboratories to reduce their energy consumption in response to the escalating climate crisis. Initiatives that advocate for more environmentally conscious practices are therefore gaining traction, and creating a burgeoning network of sustainable laboratories.
Green shoots
University College London pioneered the development of LEAF in the UK [2], with the aim of urging laboratories to reduce their environmental footprints by diminishing plastic waste and conserving water, energy and other high impact resources.
The scheme provides laboratories with a set of recommendations for how to achieve this, including improving sustainable habits and switching to low energy consumption equipment. Even simple measures – such as activating power-saving modes or unplugging idle equipment when not in use – can yield substantial reductions. For equipment that must remain operational, such as fridges and freezers, selecting energy efficient models and adhering to best practices can significantly mitigate energy consumption.
LEAF awards laboratories for their efforts, depending on how many sustainability actions they take, or laboratories can use LEAF’s inbuilt calculators to estimate the impact of their actions in both carbon and financial terms. This provides a clear overview for facilities to instigate targets and track progress, putting sustainabilty at the forefront.
One point that LEAF stresses is that cultivating good habits can play an important role in ensuring that equipment is not only used correctly, but also minimises energy consumption. Straightforward measures – such as introducing a fridge or freezer inventory to avoid unnecessary storage andencourage prompt disposal of samples that are no longer needed – can go a long wa y to reducing energy usage. It is also important to minimise fridge door opening times to prevent the temperature rising significantly, which would require additional energy to return to optimal. While these tips seem very straightforward, it is easy for bad habits to creep in, so it is critical to ensure that all employees are well-informed and conform to best practices.
Energy efficient refrigeration
Best practices are a great start, but they can only go so far; choosing more energy efficient equipment can also help to reduce power consumption. Energy efficiency is a particularly critical consideration when procuring refrigeration equipment, and A-E energy rating scores serve as the primary metric. However, this measure should not be the only consideration, as smaller units will score a better A-E energy rating, but offer reduced storage capacity.
Energy-to-space ratio can provide a more useful figure, especially in lab settings where space is often limited. Beyond this, it is important to consider opting for a system with a more energy efficient refrigeration mode. For example, frequency conversion compressor technology is able to adapt to varying environmental conditions, which is particularly crucial for energy-intensive ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers.
Increasing the set point temperature in ULT freezers from -80 to -70°C presents another avenue for reducing energy consumption. However, some facilities may hesitate to do this, due to concerns about compromising the emergency buffer that safeguards against sample loss during power outages. Employing robust temperature monitoring systems and battery back-ups can help to ensure sample safety, alleviating these concerns and instilling greater confidence in users, encouraging them to set their freezers to a higher temperature and reduce energy consumption. Choosing a freezer that is both energy efficient and provides these additional safety measures for monitoring and managing temperature fluctuations can help facilities to reach their sustainability targets.
Maintain to sustain
Regular maintenance of equipment is crucial to not only preserve reliability, but also to optimise energy usage. Systematic checks and routine servicing ensure maximum efficiency across critical components – such as compressors – and also extend the equipment lifespan. Investing in new equipment can be both expensive and energy intensive, considering the resource consumption and carbon emissions associated with manufacturing new instruments. It is often more environmentally friendly to partner with a supplier that offers a comprehensive maintenance programme to retain wellfunctioning appliances until their efficiency diminishes for good.
It is often more environmentally friendly to partner with a supplier that offers a comprehensive maintenance programme to retain wellfunctioning appliances until their efficiency diminishes for good
In conclusion, fridges and freezers are essential workhorses in a laboratory, but are also significant contributors to energy consumption. LEAF and similar initiatives champion energy efficient practices, offering strategies and guidance to help laboratories meet energy targets. Similarly, adopting energy-conserving behaviours, and partnering with suppliers that provide efficient appliances with a comprehensive maintenance programme, can further reduce consumption and extend the usable lifetime of equipment, propelling laboratories toward a greener future.
Richard Jafrato is general manager at Haier Biomedical
References:
1 Aldred Cheek, K., & Wells, N. M. (2020). Changing behavior through design: A lab fume hood closure experiment. Frontiers in Built Environment, 5, 146.
2 UCL. LEAF – Laboratory Efficiency Assessment. Accessed 28th March 2024. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sustainable/takeaction/staff-action/leaf-laboratoryefficiencyassessmentframework
