Laboratories are responsible for one third of UVA’s energy consumption, and the University has invested in a program that is proportional to the size of this challenge.
In 2022, the Office for Sustainability combined its long-running Green Labs and Smart Labs programs to expand and fully leverage these efforts under the broader heading of Sustainable Labs. Green Labs, which has focused on engaging lab occupants in sustainable strategies in their workspace, and Smart Labs, a building enhancement program targeting lab ventilation inefficiencies, will now operate jointly. Together, this new program includes lab ventilation risk assessments, retro-commissioning and tailored outreach and engagement that directly supports researchers to undertake sustainability initiatives.
The program celebrated big milestones in 2022 as its impact was recognized by two international awards. Sustainable Labs Manager Christine Alencar received the Emerging Leaders Award from the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) for her work to establish and improve the Sustainable Labs program.
Sustainable Labs program staff members include Fiona Hogan and Christine Alencar, who received the 2022 Emerging Leaders Award from the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL). Olivia Regehr has been an intern with UVA’s Green Labs program since August 2021. (Photo courtesy of Office for Sustainability)
“[Christine Alencar] has had an impressive career trajectory from scientist to green labs advocate to a leader,” according to the institute.
UVA also received the Top Academic Organization Award for the 2022 international Freezer Challenge. The Freezer Challenge is hosted yearly by My Green Lab and the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories to promote energy efficiency in cold storage management, which can generate significant energy and cost savings while also supporting efficient research practices.
In 2022, Green Labs Specialist Fiona Hogan engaged 25 laboratories at UVA to participate in the challenge, saving an estimated 441 kiloWatt hours per day. If these maintenance practices continue, they would generate more than $15,300 in energy savings a year.
The Shut the Sash Challenge in October 2022 included 40 labs with six labs saving an estimated $7,600 per month, which is approximately two and a half times greater than the 2021 challenge savings. The challenge includes targeted campaigns encouraging researchers to shut their fume hood sashes. This simple action keeps researchers safe from chemical exposure risks and can yield significant energy savings.
This past year, the Sustainable Labs team continued its work in the Medical Research 4 (MR4) building with ventilation assessments to identify the safest and most efficient airflow specifications for individual laboratories. Facilities Management teams collaborated to implement the recommendations, including Automation Services upgrading HVAC controls and Health System Physical Plant Renovations electricians installing LED lighting. Office for Sustainability staff also provided freezer inventories, unit condition assessments and defrosting services to the building’s ultra-low and standard cold storage units, encouraging preventative maintenance of existing units.
The first two Smart Labs buildings in the program, the Physical and Life Sciences Building and Medical Research 4, have together recovered over $1 million in energy costs since 2019. Once fully implemented, the program is anticipated to save an estimated $5 million per year.
