Green Labs Project - University of Vermont · Measure Refrigerator and Freezer electrical usage !...

Green Labs Project

Sponsored  by  UVM’s  Clean  Energy  Fund

Phase I

Pilot Lab Equipment Inventory & Energy Audit

Hypothesis:

Campus Laboratories are filled with expensive capital equipment.

Hypothesis:

The laboratory equipment consumes significant energy.

Hypothesis:

The equipment requires routine preventative maintenance to increase longevity

Hypothesis:

Storage of unused equipment creates a life safety hazard and requires significant space and storage.

The Pilot Project Sample 20 UVM labs of the 500+ on campus

�  Inventory all electrical equipment

�  Measure equipment electrical usage

�  Identify equipment in need of repair and overall utilization

�  Analyze the results and establish future outcomes

Inventory Sampled 16 labs and identified 294 equipment items

�  8 devices were reported as not used by end user

�  49 equipment items (refrigerators, freezers & water baths) were on 24 hours a day / 7 days a week

�  1 item was found to be in an unsafe condition

Measure �  The Kill A Watt™ was modified by

the UVM Instrumentation and Model Facility to effectively measure equipment electrical consumption

�  Interviews with Lab personnel provided equipment usage

�  Where direct measurement was not feasible the equipment UL ratings were used

Identify One device was identified to have an un-safe power cord which impacted the overall device operation.

Identify Eight Devices were reported as not used.

Analysis �  The pilot lab equipment inventory and energy audit

results in a recommendation to:

Ø  Conduct a focused inventory of Refrigerators and Freezers on campus

Analysis WHY?

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory report:

�  Energy efficiency standards will save 250 billion KWh or 6.5% of estimated energy use

�  A Report issued by S. Nadel (2003) and cited by Rosenfeld (2008) shows that from 1972 to 2001 the impact of new appliance standards has driven a 75% decline in energy consumption on refrigerators alone.

Phase II

Refrigerator and Freezer Inventory &

Replacement Planning

Hypothesis:

Active management of the Campus Laboratory Refrigerators and Freezers can drive energy savings for UVM.

Hypothesis:

Replacement of High Energy Appliances will result in a positive return on investment.

The Project Systematically scan UVM labs by building for refrigerators and freezers:

�  Inventory Refrigerators and Freezers in Labs

�  Measure Refrigerator and Freezer electrical usage

�  Identify Refrigerators and Freezers in need of repair

�  Analyze the results and establish future outcomes

Inventory Sampled 5 Buildings:

�  Colchester Research Facility

�  Terrill

�  Stafford

�  HSRF (Partial)

�  Given (Partial)

Inventory

Refrigerators & Freezers Inventoried

Refrigeration Inventory Style Profile

70, 22%

5, 2%

55, 17%

1, 0% 3, 1%

15, 5%

3, 1%

43, 14%

31, 10%

65, 20%

27, 8%

1 Upright freezer

2 Chest freezer

3 Top freezer/refrigerator

4 Bottom freezer/refrigerator

5 Side by side

6 Single door

7 Single door with freezer

8 Upright ULT

9 Chest ULT

10 Compact refrigerator

11 Compact Freezer

Refrigeration Inventory Age Profile

1 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 2 2

12

6 3 2

10

22

5

37

4

10

24

6 3

6

9

5

17

6 7

16

8 8 8

12

5 3

8

41

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

1969

19

75

1976

19

79

1981

19

82

1984

19

85

1986

19

87

1988

19

89

1990

19

91

1992

19

93

1994

19

95

1996

19

97

Und

ef.c

lass

i19

98

1999

20

00

2001

20

02

2003

20

04

2005

20

06

2007

20

08

2009

20

10

2011

20

12

2013

un

defin

ed

Year

Num

ber

of

devi

ces

Measure �  The modified Kill A Watt was used

to measure Refrigerator and Freezer electrical consumption where accessible

�  Where direct measurement wass not feasible the equipment UL ratings were used

�  52 refrigerators and freezers presented consumption >850 KWH

Identify One refrigerator was identified to have failed operation.

Analysis �  The refrigerator & freezer inventory resulted in:

Ø Research on prior refrigerator & freezer energy studies as reference data

Ø Defined body of projects at other institutions Ø Identified Rules for Replacement Ø Profile of the Refrigerators inventoried by Rule Ø Recommended inventory for replacement

The results of our research show…

Replacement is Cool!

Research Results - Replacement Stanford – Annual Savings 208,031kWh

A 2002 survey of two large biology buildings revealed one laboratory with particularly old, inefficient refrigerators and freezers. The Primary Investigator did not intend to replace them as he is uncertain how much longer he will be using the lab. Stanford’s Utilities Division covered the full cost of replacing twelve units (and scrapping three) with an estimated simple payback period of 4.8 years.

Laboratory-grade equipment would have cost at least 40% more.

Innovation – Eliminate Student Refrigerators / Share

http://www.stanford.edu/dept/rde/cgi-bin/drupal/housing/sites/default/files/SLG.pdf

Research Results - Replacement McGill

If every lab in McGill started storing their biological specimens in energy efficient units today, McGill could save up to an estimated $200 in energy costs per freezer by May, 2013.

If every lab in McGill started storing their biological specimens in ambient temperature storage today, McGill could save up to an estimated $500 in energy costs per freezer by May, 2013.

Research Results – Replacement University of Maryland – Annual Savings $10,000/year

The Refrigerator Replacement Program will reduce energy consumption at the University of Maryland by offering departments an incentive to replace or decommission old refrigerators that are much less energy efficient than newer models. This program is not only an opportunity to reduce energy consumption and costs, but also to decrease greenhouse gas emissions while improving the sustainability of the College Park campus. By replacing 50 old refrigerators with new energy efficient models and removing another 20 refrigerators without replacement, this program is projected to save the university $10,000 per year .

Research Results – Replacement UC Davis– hope to save up to $100,000 annually

Allen Doyle, sustainability manager at UC Davis, conceived of the Freezer Challenge as a way to introduce a variety of laboratory cold storage techniques, ranging from cleaning out and defrosting freezers to creating inventories of frozen samples to adjusting freezer temperatures and retiring old, less efficient freezers. He convinced colleagues at six other universities, including Harvard and CU Boulder, to partner with him and bring the challenge to their campuses. Their goals for the Freezer Challenge are to save energy, reduce the volume of freezer space, retire as many freezers as possible

Research Results – Replacement Yale– Yale University 2013-2016 Sustainability Strategic Plan

Reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions 5% below 2013 levels by June 2016.

Expand existing inventory of freezers and refrigerators to establish age and presence of service contracts; develop options for standardized service and maintenance, and evaluate potential cost-benefit of replacement schedule based upon energy savings.

Research Results – Replacement Clarkson – 1 Lab replacement could save $2,100/year

Research Results – Replacement Harvard

395 refrigerators get replaced saving Harvard University Housing 65,247 kWh annually

Research Results – Replacement

�  SCRB Hosts Successful First-Ever Lab Environmental Competition

�  The pilot project hosted by the Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Department (HSCRB) involved 16 labs in two buildings and targeted five key areas related lab energy efficiency and waste reduction.

�  - See more at: http://report.green.harvard.edu/our-journey#sthash.Eh0rAjep.dpuf

�  http://www.upenn.edu/sustainability/sites/default/files/Green%20Labs%20@%20Penn_0.pdf

Summary – Replacement

A comprehensive inventory & replacement program for

outdated, inefficient refrigerators and freezers…

Makes financial $en$e

The results of our research show…

Maintenance is also Cool!

Research Results – Maintenance Studies have proven that freezer maintenance is critical, as significant energy savings can be achieved when freezer coils and filters are free of dust.

Reference: http://www.laboratoryequipment.com/articles/2014/04/collaborative-sustainability

Research Results – Maintenance Duke –

Freezers and fridges have a regular maintenance schedule.

In a typical lab, refrigerators and freezers are a large component of the total energy consumption. Keeping freezers free of ice build-up is an easy way to reduce waste in your lab. When an ice layer builds, covering the coils, the compressor must run longer to maintain cold temperatures. If the ice is more than ¼ inch thick, then it needs to be defrosted. Defrosting regularly will save energy and possibly extend its life. Also, minimizing ice buildup will maximize your storage space, and boxes and racks will sit flat instead of precariously perched on lumpy icy surfaces.

Research Results – Maintenance Colorado University – Winner of UC Davis Freezer Challenge

10 new labs signed up for the CU Green Labs freezer maintenance program (to bring our total to 27 labs in the program)

44 units received preventative maintenance attention (defrosting, cleaning filters/coils)

Research Results – Maintenance University of Pennsylvania– Maintenance Saves Energy

When an ice layer builds up covering the coils, the compressor must run longer to maintain temperature, using more energy. Consider making this a regularly scheduled task to ensure it is completed. Defrost and clean out your freezer coils each time you organize an annual freezer cleanout in your lab. Cleaning allows boxes and racks to lay flat instead of sitting on lumpy icy surfaces, saving space. It takes 2 half-hour shifts to defrost a freezer and five minutes to vacuum the coils.

Research Results – Maintenance Harvard – freezer maintenance is often overlooked

A study was conducted in the summer of 2011 that proved significant energy savings were associated with keeping freezer coils and filters free of dust, allowing for proper heat exchange. The study also revealed that routine freezer care is often overlooked due to competing priorities in research labs and a lack of understanding of the importance of these measures. In response, the FAS Freezer Preventative Maintenance Program was developed by the FAS Office

Summary – Maintenance

A comprehensive maintenance program for refrigerators and

freezers…

Makes financial $en$e

Using the research as a base & the recommended 6 rules for

replacement…..

Suggested Rules for Replacement* 1   If  annual  consump-on>850  kWh/year  

2   Manufactured  before  1998  

3   Color  not  longer  used(green,  brown,  gold)  

4   Nameplate    or  label  aFached  in  a  loca-on  no  longer  used  

5   Has  flexible  walls  with  fiberglass  insula-on  6   It  is  a  brand  not  manufctured  since  the  mid-­‐1980s:Coldspot,  Coronado,  JC  

Penney,  O’Keefe  &  MerriF,  and  Wizard  

*James Cavallo, Ph.D., Kouba-Cavallo Associates and Home Energy Magazine James Mapp, Ph.D., Wisconsin Division of Energy

Leads to a UVM Refrigeration Inventory by Rules for Replacement

1. annual consumption>850 kWh/year

2. manufactured

before 1998

3. Color not longer

used(green, brown, gold)

4. Nameplate or label in no longer used

location

5. Has flexible walls with fiberglass insulation

6. It is a brand not

manufctured since the

mid-1980s

7. Meet Multiple

Conditions

Quantity 52 146 10 21 1 8 55

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Num

ber

of F

reez

ers

and

Ref

rige

rato

rs

Next Steps - 1 Complete the full campus

refrigerator and freezer inventory.

Next Steps - 2 Complete a replacement cost analysis for the oldest units.

Next Steps - 3 Create a program to incentivize

replacement

Next Steps - 4 Establish program to routinely

measure and educate

on refrigerator & freezer energy use.

+

Next Steps - 5 Implement technological solutions to monitor power consumption and other future variables.

Next Steps - 6 Establish a maintenance and inventory re-audit program to ensure optimum performance.

A Joint Project Between

Questions?