Seven Ways to Proven Energy Savings for BSL-3 Laboratories

Mr Theodore J. Traum
World BioHazTec Inc.

High containment laboratories require unique environmental conditions for research. Expensive, energy-intensive HVAC systems are needed for protection of the environment, personnel, laboratory animals and product protection from contamination. Personal protective equipment adds to the challenge of maintaining thermal comfort for the laboratorian. Laboratory equipment such as lab freezers, incubators, water baths, refrigerators and autoclave/sterilizers can contribute significantly to the laboratory’s energy consumption. The result is laboratory facilities that typically consume six to ten times the energy consumed in a typical office building.

High containment laboratories demand even more special need designs to address solar gain while providing a positive work environment. Laboratory siting, system pressure drops, demand-based ventilation, dynamic control, lighting, discharge velocity and terminal discharge optimization are energy topics with which you should be familiar when planning your new facility or retrofitting your existing facility.

Opportunities for energy consumption and operating cost reduction are possible in containment laboratories. Seven ways to proven energy savings will be presented as a guide to achieve energy efficiency and energy savings.

The presentation will conclude with a discourse on becoming familiar with barriers to energy-efficient laboratory design.